Religious Bigot? Osinbajo’s Office Releases Video of Muslim Appointees Amid Accusation
- The allegation of religious bigotry against Professor Yemi Osinbajo has again been dismissed by the office of the vice president
- Farooq Kperogi, a professor of journalism in the US, had in an article accused the senior lawyer of religious bigotry after declaring his presidential ambition
- Kperogi alleged that most of Osinbajo's appointees are not only Christians but members of an influential pentecostal church
Following allegations against Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo that he is biased against Muslims his office is setting the record straight.
The Cable reported that the office of the vice president released a video on Wednesday, April 13, showing Muslim appointees working with him.
Source: Facebook
Recall that Farooq Kperogi, a Nigerian professor of journalism based in the United States accused Osinbajo of being a Christian religious bigot.
In the video released 16 Muslims made up of five females and 11 males spoke about their positions, their states of origin, and how long they have been working in the vice-president’s office.
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Below are the names of Muslim appointees listed in the video:
1. Abdulrahman Ipaye (Lagos) - Deputy chief of staff to the president, office of the vice-president.
2. Mariam Uwais (Kano) - Special adviser to the president on social investment, office of the vice-president.
3. Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti) - Special adviser on political matters, office of the vice-president.
4. Balkisu Saidu (Sokoto) - senior special assistant on legal research and compliance matters, office of the vice-president
5. Abdullahi Gwari (Yobe) - Head of protocol and senior special assistant on foreign affairs
6. Olabisi Ogungbemi (Kwara) - Special assistant on political matters to the president, office of the vice-president.
7. Ahmad Zakari (Jigawa) - Special adviser to the president on infrastructure, office of the vice-president
8. Afeez Kau (Kano) - Personal assistant, office of the vice-president.
9. Abdulrahman Baffa-Yola - Special assistant to the president on political affairs, office of the vice-president
10. Muhammed Braima (Kwara) - Special assistant on internally displaced persons (2015 – 2019); he was later appointed as special assistant on job creation.
11. Yusuf Ali (Kwara) - special assistant to the president on power regulation, office of the vice-president
12. Gambo Manzo (Gombe) - Special adviser on political affairs
13. Mariam Masha (Lagos)– Senior special assistant in humanitarian interventionm
14. Muritala Aliyu (Kogi) — Special adviser on logistics.
15. Ibrahim Salama (Katsina) — Media assistant, office of the vice-president.
16. Lanre Sasere (Lagos) — Senior special assistant to the president on planning and coordination, office of the vice-president.
Watch the video here.
Kperogi reacts to Osinbajo’s video
Meanwhile, Kperogi, has faulted the video released by Osinbajo's office showing his Muslim appointees, Daily Nigerian added.
The professor argued that the appointees in the video were actually appointed by the Presidency and posted to the Vice President’s office.
Kperogi said that not only does the video betray the ridiculous extreme Osinbajo is prepared to hide his well-known and obvious bigotry, but it also dramatizes the truth of his anti-Muslim bigotry.
Osinbajo's aide opens up about how vice president treats Muslim appointees
Legit.ng reported that Dr. Balkisu Saidu, Senior Special Assistant on Legal, Research and Compliance, Office of the Vice President, said Osinbajo is "a practising Christian who respects practising Muslims."
The vice presidential aide said this in a Facebook post shared on Thursday, March 24, by President Muhammadu Buhari's special adviser on political affairs, Babafemi Ojudu.
Contrary to Kperogi's claim, Saidu said the vice president respects his Muslim appointees and makes sure they are given time for prayers.
Source: Legit.ng
