As the Lagos State House of Assembly begins screening commissioners and Special Advisers nominated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Muslims across the state have objected to the list, alleging that it excludes their members from his cabinet.
They said that among the over 30 cabinet members nominated by the governor, who was re-elected for a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the number of Muslims appointed was smaller than that of other faiths in the state.
Muslims, according to them, make up fewer than 20% of the list, while constituting more than 60% of not only the state’s population but also the Lagos voting public.
They added: “We the Muslims of, and in Lagos State wish to categorically state that the entire leadership of the Muslim Community of Lagos State representing various Muslim organizations, unequivocally and unanimously reject the list of commissioner-designates of Governor Sanwo-Olu and we demand a reversal and review to reflect 60 per cent in favour of Muslims in a fresh list.”
The Muslims under the aegis of the Joint Muslims Forum (JMF) rejected the list on Tuesday during a news conference in Ikeja, calling the governor’s move an injustice against them after supporting his second term bid in Lagos.
Leaders from various Islamic organizations, including the Executive Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Akintola, a Senior Cleric from The Muslim Congress (TMC), Dhikrullah Shafi, and others, attended the briefing.
Abdul-Rahman Ahmad, the National Missioner of the Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, read the group’s prepared message.
They also emphasized that their demands were legitimate and not out of place, given that they campaigned and voted for the administration to be re-elected for a second term without demanding compensation.
The Muslims also demanded that the number of Muslims nominated and appointed to the Lagos state executive cabinet match their participation in the state’s gubernatorial election in 2023.
“By the dictates of our Islamic faith, which consistently emphasizes fairness in all dealings, and also by our conviction that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy Dr Kadiri Hamzat are both better experienced and prepared to improve the quality of life of Lagosians, we mobilized our community to not only vote for the Governor’s re-election but also to defend the votes under extremely difficult circumstances.
“It must be stated that the Muslim community did not collect a dime from either the APC flag bearers or any of their opponents in that election, rather we acted truthfully and selflessly with hope for a more prosperous Lagos. With all sense of utmost sincerity, we noted to our utter dismay that Governor Sanwo-Olu’s list exhibited insensitivity to diversity, equity, and fairness.
“We observed that out of 39 Nominees, only 8 are Muslims.
It is no longer news that this list is not pleasing to the generality of Muslims of Lagos. It is indeed an affront to our collective sensibilities and tragically confirmed long-standing suspected misgivings about Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s genuine commitment to fair leadership.
“Before anyone says “the Muslims have started again” please take some time to examine the facts: Go through the history of appointments by Lagos State Government; look at the demography that makes up the Lagos States; look at it from the lens of what is right and fair; the intention then becomes clear. When many in the Christian community rightly or wrongly rejected Governor Sanwo-Olu and his party purportedly to protest the Muslim-Muslim ticket at the national level, we the Muslims of Lagos state stood solidly and voted en masse to ensure his victory, but rather than show appreciation, it appears that Mr. Sanwo-Olu choose to perpetrate injustice and ingratitude in an ill-thought affront to the peaceful and accommodating Muslim community of Lagos.
“Over the past years, we have witnessed several instances of injustice towards Muslims by the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led state government through its unfavourable policies, lopsided appointments, and infringements on our religious and socio-political rights as a community.
“At various times and fora, we have engaged the government listing these grievances and concerns all to no avail, with no well-defined efforts by the state government till date to assuage these grievances etc.”
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