The group was responding to comments by the secretary-general of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Musa Asake, who accused the Sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of all Muslims in Nigeria, of leading a delegation of Muslims to President Jonathan on Wednesday, 26 March, attempting to polarise the country along religious lines.
In an interview with Punch newspaper, Saturday, Mr. Asake condemned a protest by the Muslim leaders, which, he said, was a plot to frustrate the ongoing National Conference.
“The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, had a press conference where they said Christians are 52 per cent at the conference; meanwhile, we are just 40 per cent of the country’s population. I responded immediately. I don’t understand what the Sultan is up to. Is the conference on religious basis? We are going to respond because they are trying to divide this country and create a big problem. Let the whole world know that the Sultan and his people are trying to make sure that this national conference does not take place.
“They kicked against it and they did not succeed. Now, they are creating a problem for the country and I don’t know whether the president is listening to them or not. Whatever it is, this is not a religious matter; this is a Nigerian matter,” he said.
In a statement by its director, Ishaq Akintola, on Sunday, MURIC said it found it necessary to put the records straight “for those who are prepared to face facts, not sentiments.”
The organisation said based on the list of delegates at the conference there were only four Muslims among the 15 delegates approved for North Central (including Kwara, Niger, and Kogi), only one Muslim among the 15 delegates from the South-West, only two Muslims out of six retired police officers, only one Muslim out of six retired military and security personnel and, only six Muslims out of 20 delegates picked by the Federal Government.
According to MURIC: “These facts are incontrovertible and the Sultan put them before President Goodluck Jonathan. The delegates are there and anybody can do the counting. So what is CAN’s problem? Instead of throwing stones or inciting his followers against the Federal Government, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, CFR, mni, in his characteristic way of dealing with matters, persuaded Muslims to be patient and told them that the matter would be looked into.”
It added that what the Sultan did was to seek for an audience with the presidency to lead a delegation of members of the National Executive Council, NEC, of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, to complain about the lop-sidedness in the composition of delegates of the national confab.
“President Jonathan listened attentively to what the Sultan had to say and promised to look into the matter,” it said.
“Now what is CAN’s business in this? NSCIA knows the way to CAN’s office. They did not go there. They went to the man at the helm of affairs, who is the father of all. When one child feels that the father has not given him his due, he goes to the father for his rightful share and not to the other child who has been over-pampered. It is not for the over-pampered child to attempt to block the chance of the marginalised child, otherwise he steps into the realm of selfishness. This matter is between President Jonathan and the Muslims and courtesy demands that CAN keeps off.”
The organisation challenged CAN to provide counter data to probe its position wrong.
“It is a civilized world and we should work with facts and figures. We urge the CAN secretary to do his homework. This is a shoddy response. He should stop heating up the polity,” it added.
MURIC said it believed that Nigeria would be a better place when we it had a good Christian or a good Muslim as president because the fear of God or Allah will make him do the needful and satisfy all righteousness.
“To defeat terrorism, we must start listening to those who follow the path of dialogue, those who lodge complaints using civilized and peaceful means,” MURIC said.
It would be recalled that some days ago Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC slammed Lagos pastor Tunde Bakare for allegedly saying that National Conference Chairman Idris Kutigi should refrain from beginning his speeches with an Arabic phrase seeking Allah's help.
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