2023: MURIC Rejects Akinwunmi Adesina As Presidential Candidate
- MURIC is alleging that Yoruba Muslims are not being treated with justice and equity
- A spokesperson for the group, Ishaq Akintola, accuses Olusegun Obasanjo of working against the interest of Muslims
- The group said there are many Yoruba Muslims who are eminently qualified to rule Nigeria
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The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says it will oppose the alleged plans to draft Akinwunmi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank (AFDB), into the 2023 presidential race.
In a statement on Monday, May 10, Ishaq Akintola, director of MURIC, accused a former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, of backing Adesina to rule the country.
The group said the 2023 presidential ticket must be given to a Yoruba Muslim.
It argued that while three Yoruba Christians have occupied Aso Rock villa, not a single Yoruba Muslim has been allowed to hold the position of president or vice president since independence.
Akintola said:
“Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo is reportedly making attempts to draft the current president of the African Development Bank (ADB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, into the 2023 presidential race. We object to this move. Obasanjo wants to waste all the efforts put in place by the Nigerian government to get Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina to that continental position.''
MURIC claimed Yoruba Muslims form the majority of the population in the southwest and should not be denied a cardinal principle of democracy, namely, inclusiveness.
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He said that another Yoruba Christian presidency will lead to repression and persecution of Yoruba Muslims.
Meanwhile, Olusegun Obasanjo, says political leaders must ensure the year 2023 births the emergence of a new federation otherwise the country may be sliding into dissolution.
A statement sent to Legit.ng by the former president's media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, indicates the elder statesman made the submission on Wednesday, May 5, when he played host to the members of Tiv Professionals Group in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
He also described calls for Nigeria's break up as unmindful and insensitive to the plight of the minority groups in the country.
Source: Legit.ng