This declaration, to our mind, will not pass any ethical screening. It is purely evangelical.
An Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to the declaration of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to contest for the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Muslim group said Osinbajo’s presidential declaration was not only unethical but was also evangelical in appearance.
The statement was signed by its founder and Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads, “The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday declared his intention to run for the post of president in the coming 2023 general elections. This declaration, to our mind, will not pass any ethical screening. It is purely evangelical.
“But MURIC cannot keep quiet after Osinbajo’s declaration because it is not in consonance with our agenda for the South West. We have never hidden this agenda from public view as it was made public as far back as February 2021 when we declared our preference for a Yoruba Muslim president.”
MURIC reiterated its call for a Yoruba Muslim President in 2023.
He added: “We anchored our cassus belli for this preference on the persecution of Yoruba Muslims by their Christian neighbours and we rationalised that we need a Yoruba Muslim as president of Nigeria in order to liberate Yoruba Muslims from decades of marginalisation, impoverishment, oppression, persecution, tyranny and injustice. This is a struggle we cannot abandon at this crucial stage.
“The Yoruba people and the political parties should also consider another interesting angle in this matter, namely, the preponderance of Ogun State indigenes among those Yorubas who have been in Aso Rock. All four are from one state (Ogun State). Three were from Abeokuta to be precise. Osinbajo is from Ikenne. Why must all Yoruba rulers of Nigeria come from Ogun State alone? What happened to spread? What happened to balancing? Where is inclusivity (sic) in the monopoly of leadership by one state?
“MURIC is not worried by this but we think Osinbajo should mellow down and give someone from another state the chance to rule. We are resolved not to vote for the rallying point of our oppressors.”