The League of Imams and Alfas has faulted the appointments made so far by Gov. Luck Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, describing all as one-sided.
According to the league, all the appointments made so far fell short of the expectations of all fair-minded, just, God-fearing, and objective good people of the state.
The Ondo State Chapter Chairman of the League, Sheikh Ahmad Aladesawe, stated this when he led a delegation of Muslim clerics on a courtesy visit to the governor on Monday.
The statement was made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
“Your Excellency, the Muslim community of Ondo State are not happy with the tide of your appointments.
“You have made four cardinal appointments after your swearing-in, and all are people of your faith with no single Muslim.
“Are you saying you cannot find a Muslim in your party cerebral enough to accept even one of those appointment.
“Are you saying the Muslims are so short-of technocrats and intellectuals who can man those offices?
“We, as elders, are disturbed and our children are restless. Our youths are not happy, but we have to calm them with the assurance that we will meet with you and that we believe you will correct the lopsidedness.
“Mr. Governor, Ondo state is not a Christian state and any government that quest for peace, stability and development must recognise the religious diversity of our dear state,” he said.
Sheikh Aladesawe recalled that different Muslim youth organisations, including the league, wrote to the governor to pick a Muslim as deputy governor but he “jettisoned the call of over 2 million Muslims of Ondo State.”
He call on the governor not to listen to any one advising him to disregard the Muslim community in the state.
“They are your enemy and the enemy of your party. Your Excellence should not quickly forget what they said and did to President Tinubu and your party in the last general election.
“Such people are sycophants, they are worst than cancer and are indeed mistletoe who will always perch on any conducive host tree.
“Your excellency, the Muslims have been reduce to pauper by previous administrations. Many of us are very active in your party yet, we are strategically not being engaged nor empowered to part-take in the running of the government so that the strategic and cardinal objective of the ‘MUSLIM marginalisation agenda’ can be realised.
“Your Excellency, the case of our children in public schools are even worse. They are being denied their basic fundamental constitutional religious rights.
“They are not allowed to attend the jumu’ah, they are denied the use of hijab and worse still, they are being forced to learn the Christian Religious Studies without the permission and consent of we, their parents, because the government of Ondo State has strategically refused to employ Islamic Religious knowledge teachers in the last 21years,” he said.
Aladesewa, who congratulated Aiyedatiwa on his inauguration as governor, following the death of his boss, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, urged him to bring an end to the marginalisation of Muslims in the state,
He said: “Without you hustling or contesting to be governor, Allah made you a governor and today the only being above you in Ondo State is Allah, your creator.
“The Muslim Community of Ondo State have come to you not only to associate with your government and to wish Your Excellency well but also to advice Your Excellency on the path you need to walk that will lead to unprecedented success for your administration and make our dear state the envy of other states in the federation.”
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