Politicians should not demonise Islam

This statement is unguarded, unprofessional, parochial and myopic. Such a statement is only to be heard from a man running diarrhea of the mouth. We challenge him to produce evidence. While we believe it is meant for a few gullible Nigerians, we have no doubt that majority of Nigerians will not allow themselves to be […]

This statement is unguarded, unprofessional, parochial and myopic. Such a statement is only to be heard from a man running diarrhea of the mouth. We challenge him to produce evidence. While we believe it is meant for a few gullible Nigerians, we have no doubt that majority of Nigerians will not allow themselves to be hoodwinked by self-serving politicians.
The PDP mainstream should call its spokesperson to order. Religion is a very sensitive issue in this country and no political party should attempt to turn Islam into a pawn in its political chess game. We warn that any political party which attempts to drag the name of Islam into the murky waters of Nigerian politics will have the Muslims to contend with.
Instead of crying wolf where there is none, we advise PDP’s spokesman to engage in critical self-examination. PDP’s political woes are self-inflicted and they should blame none but themselves. X-rayed with microscopic accuracy, PDP will find that the raison d’etre for its current dwindling fortunes are not unconnected with complacency, executive impunity, managerial ineptitude, moral bankruptcy, poverty of integrity among its leadership, etc, etc.
Above all, PDP must trace its present calamity to the arrogance of its political leadership and the failure of its ruling arrowhead to honour pledges. Nigerian politicians must know that the promise of Allah often starts its manifestation in this world.
The way forward for PDP leadership is to withdraw the fraudulent statement credited to its spokesman, apologise to Nigerian Muslims in particular, and all Nigerians in general and seek Allah’s forgiveness.
Finally, we assure Nigerians that Muslims have no anointed political party. We are in all political parties (PDP, APC, Labour, PDM, APGA, etc) and we cannot afford to be partial or parochial. We wish all of them well. Our members voted for all political parties (including the PDP) and they will continue to vote for political parties of their inclination without being prompted from the minbar (mosque’s pulpit). We are not interested in religious politics. Nonetheless, we cannot keep quiet in the face of the unwarranted, unprovoked, unsolicited, irrational and inexplicable statement credited to the PDP spokesman.
APC as an Islamic agenda exists only in the figment of the imagination of dreamers who lack drive. We have no doubt that Allah is waiting for any political party or leader who seeks to persecute Muslims or to mock the religion of Islam.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)