Communique issued at the end of the meeting of the Executive and Stakeholders of the Muslim Community of Oyo State held at the Bodija Estate Islamic Centre, on Sunday 27th February, 2022.
WE WILL MOBILIZE FOR A SOUTHERN MUSLIM PRESIDENT
PREAMBLE :
The Muslim Community of Oyo State met to review the state of the Nigerian nation, especially the matter of impending 2023 General Elections.
BACKGROUND:
It could be recalled that, recently, the National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke was quoted as saying : `we do not want another Muslim President, come 2023. We don’t want it. It is not right. A Muslim President has governed for 8 years . . .’
Also, a group, Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), which parades such personalities as Lt. Gen. Theophillus Danjuma (rtd); Emeritus Prof. Gadzama; Prof. Adamu Baikie; among others, threatened that any attempt at foisting a Muslim President on Nigeria in 2023 would be resisted.
In this same vein, the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Ayokunle, said CAN will mobilize Christians in the country to produce a Christian successor to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. Rev. Ayokunle disclosed this on Sunday 27th February, during an interview with journalists after a sermon he preached at COCIN Church, Jos, on the theme : ‘ Defeating your enemies through the power of unity’
SOUTHERN MUSLIM PRESIDENCY:
Since Nigeria got independence in 1960, no Southern Muslim has ever occupied the number one position in Nigeria, not even number two.
From the South of Nigeria, we have had Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as President, Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi as Head of State; Vice Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters (equivalent of Vice President) during the regime of General Gowon; General Olusegun Obasanjo, first as Military Head of State and later democratically elected President; Arc. Alex Ekwueme, as Vice President in the regime of President Sheu Shagari; Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe and Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, both as Chief of General Staff (de facto Vice President), to Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida; Chief Ernest Shonekan, Head of Interim National Government (de facto President); Lt.-Gen Oladipo Diya, Chief of General Staff (Vice President), in Gen. Sani Abacha regime; Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, Chief of General Staff in the regime of General Abdussalami Abubakar; Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as Vice President and later President of Nigeria. All of them, Southern Christians.
From the foregoing list of past Presidents/Heads of State and Vice Presidents/Chiefs of (General) Staff of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not a single Muslim from Southern Nigeria has ever occupied the positions of President nor that of Vice President.
IT IS TIME FOR A SOUTHERN MUSLIM PRESIDENT
The meeting resolved to mobilize Muslims in Oyo State to ensure that a Muslim from the South emerges as President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.
He who who must come to equity, let him come with clean hands.
We hereby plead with PFN, CAN and other Christian groups to join hands with us, in the spirit of equity, justice and fear of God, in ensuring that a Southern Muslim becomes the next President of Nigeria
On our own, we will mobilize Muslims in Oyo State and beyond, towards the emergence of a Southern Muslim President, through physical efforts and supplications to Almighty Allah, Rabbul’ aalamin, (the Lord of all Worlds).
May Allah, subhanau wa ta’ala, (May He be praised and exalted) help us achieve this our aim, Aamin.
Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni
Chairman
Alhaji Murisiku Abidemi Siyanbade
Secretary-General
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