Encomium
‘Why we endorsed him and Hon. AbdulHakeem’ – MUSLIM SUPPORT GROUP
‘WE REJECT THE CALL FOR A CHRISTIAN GOVERNOR’ – JMF insists
The endorsement of one of the aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode alongside former lawmaker, Hon. AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef as his proposed running-mate in the 2015 general elections has stirred controversies among the Muslim community in Lagos State.
Last week, the Muslim community, under the auspices of Muslim Support Group rallied support for Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode at a well attended rally held in the bowel of the Blue Roof, inside the Lagos Television Station (LTV8), Ikeja, Lagos. The body also assured the aspirant of a minimum of two million votes from the Muslims in the state.
The Chairman of the occasion, an Islamic cleric and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dr. Tajudeen Yusuf, who led other Muslim organisations, said the Muslims in the state had converged to drum support for Mr. Ambode, though a Christian, against primordial sentiments.
In an exclusive interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly, Dr. Tajudeen Yusuf explained the reason behind endorsing the aspirant when the party is yet to hold its primary election.
He said, “Waiting until a candidate is adopted is self-centred and selfish. It means we’re not convinced. It means we’re opportunistic. If you believe in some persons, why do you wait till they are adopted before you support them? It means you’re only after a selfish interest. It means you’re hypocritical, so that when they are not endorsed, you disown them. That’s unfair and it’s not islamic.”
Dr. Tajudeen revealed that the Muslim community in Lagos has investigated Mr. Ambode (a Christian) and Hon. AbdulHakeem (a Muslim) before coming out to endorse them.
“We know these personalities and we have interacted with them. We also have our agenda, which was given to them on that day, to show that we are for them. If they don’t emerge eventually, that won’t stop us from supporting them. We’ll wait till their time comes. That’s our stand. If I wait till somebody is adopted, that shows I am only interested in my selfish interest.
“There is nothing wrong if we have a Christian governor in Lagos who is ready to adopt policies that’ll meet the yearnings of Muslims. After all, we’ve had quite a number of Muslim governors, who didn’t do anything to support Islam in the state. There is nothing wrong in supporting him, particularly when he’s ready to work with one of our brothers. It goes to show the religious tolerance which Islam preaches. Are we not okay with that? Don’t forget, Lagos is a cosmopolitan city. It’s for Muslims and Christians. This is one of the best ways to live together in peace.”
Rejecting the call for a Christian governor, another Muslim body, Joint Muslim Forum, which comprises of different Muslim organisations in Lagos state has described it as “embarrassing, misleading and deceptive quest for political power through the back door.”
In a chat with ENCOMIUM Weekly at a counter-press conference held on Thursday, October 23, 2014, at Rahmat Islamiyyah Hall, Ikeja, Lagos, the spokesman of the group, Prof. Lakin Akintola said, “The Muslims of Lagos State dissociate ourselves completely from the endorsement. Let it be put on record that Lagos State Muslims did not at any time nor in any forum accept the call for a Christian governor, not to talk of endorsing or adopting any Muslim candidate as deputy governor.”
The group stressed that it remained committed to democratic norms and principles in the election of governor for Lagos state.
“Our stand is that candidates should emerge on the basis of merit and demonstrated capacity and capability to move Lagos State forward and consolidate on the existing level of development. We’re for the steady development, security, peace and welfare of Lagosians, irrespective of the religious affiliation of governorship elections candidates. We’ll educate our people and all Lagosians and pitch our tent behind any candidate from any party or from any religion who emerges to contest governorship election in the state on the basis of merit and not because he or she was anointed or sponsored on religious affinity or God-fatherism”, Professor Akintola stated.
The mega-rally, which sparked controversies among adherents of Islamic faith, was held on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. The Blue Roof, inside the Lagos Television Station (LTV8), Ikeja, Lagos, was filled to capacity by the leaders of different Muslim organisations, including the “anointed candidate”, Mr. Ambode and his proposed running-mate, Hon. AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Ambode expressed profound appreciation to the Muslim group, assuring; “All the things that are needed to be done to move Lagos forward must be done. We will, in honesty, love, and the guidance of God perform to your expectation and God would help us succeed.
“For all us who are members of APC, as we are concerned about the progress of Lagos, by the Grace of God, all what you have told me today; we will still sit down together and talk things through. I don’t have much to say. What do I want from God that He has not done for me? It is God that sent me to come and be the leader of everybody in Lagos…That is what I have been doing, and God has said that I should do it till the end. I will not disgrace you, I will not disgrace your faith,” he concluded.
Prominent Islamic scholars and leaders of Islamic organisations who attended the endorsement included; Sheik AbdulFatah Thanni, Alhaji AbdulLateef AbdulHakeem, Alhaji Abdullah Shuaib, Alhaji Mohammed Olatunji, Alhaji Ajijola Anabi, the Arewa Community represented by Alhaji Mohammed Idandan, Alhaji Mustapha Bello, Alhaji Ismaila Raji, and Alhaji Jamiu Adegunwa of Risalatul Haq Da’ Wah Society International, among others.
– RASHEED ABUBAKAR
