Nasarawa Governorship 2023: Northern Muslim Youths Tackle Cleric over Controversial Post
- A youth group, the Northern Youths Council of Nigeria, has criticised Islamic cleric Sheikh Mansur Sokoto over his controversial Facebook post
- The cleric had raised alarm about the potential endangerment of Islam in Taraba and Nasarawa states if non-Muslims assume administrative power
- However, the group, represented by its national president, Isah Abubakar, cautioned Sheikh Sokoto and other clerics against making statements that could lead to disunity and threaten democracy in Nigeria
Lafia, Nasarawa state - A group under the auspices of the Northern Youths Council of Nigeria has berated Sheikh Mansur Sokoto, an Islamic cleric, over his controversial post on Facebook.
Legit.ng reported that Sheik Sokoto, in a Facebook post titled “Islam and the North”, claimed that Islam in Taraba and Nasarawa states would be endangered if the baton of administrative power falls into the hands of a non-Muslim.
Source: UGC
"Review of the governorship legal tussles of some states these days is worrisome. If Taraba and Nasarawa fall to non-Muslims, then Islamic religion will be endangered,” he wrote.
Desist from heating polity, group tells Sheikh Sokoto
Reacting, the youth group, in a statement signed by its national president, Isah Abubakar, warned Sheikh Sokoto and other clerics to desist from heating the polity by interfering in political affairs as well as judicial proceedings.
According to Abubakar, such statements "may cause disunity among Nigerians as well as intimidation and threats to court rulings which in turn threatens our relative peace and democracy”.
The statement further read:
“As Muslims and Northerners, we wonder where Sheikh Sokoto got his own teachings as Islam preaches good governance over faith.
“To us, his post was just his mere speculations and personal opinion. We wish to advise the Sheikh to instead focus on how to bring forth ideas on how to curtail the excesses of kidnapping, banditry and cattle rustling which has become a pandemic in the up North States governed by Muslim governors."
Ombugadu does not discriminate between both Christians and Muslims
Recall that Sheikh Sokoto made the post following the tribunal ruling which sacked APC's Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state and declared David Emmanuel Ombugadu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner.
Commenting further, Abubakar said Ombugadu who was declared winner by the tribunal does not discriminate between both Christians and Muslims.
“We wish to state categorically that MR David Ombugadu the Governor-elect of Nasarawa state who is Sheikh Sokoto’s reason for the outburst served diligently as a member of the HOR between 2011 – 2019.
Record has it that he served his people without any form of discrimination between both Christians and Muslims in his constituency, therefore suggesting that the mandate given to him by the people of Nasarawa State be taken away from him on a religious basis is a threat to democracy and un-Islamic, even in Taraba state where the elected was clearly won by the current Governor it’s uncalled for anybody to try to influence judiciary using a religion card," the statement concluded.
Nasarawa tribunal: PDP Muslim group reacts
In a similar development, the Concerned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Muslim Leaders in Nasarawa State have warned the opposition not to use religious leaders to trigger a crisis following the election tribunal's verdict.
The spokesperson of the group, Hon Ja'afaru Ibrahim, said there is a need for the opposition to exercise caution.
Source: Legit.ng
