“As a Christian, I ask: Is Shari’ah automatically a bad thing?” — Ladipo Johnson alleges intrigues by Riley Moore against Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

By KEMI KASUMU

He asked to know, as a Christian himself, why Shari’ah is so much the problem of America as if it is a bad system, adding that the US fighting Shari’ah in Nigeria is ironically in bed with Saudi Arabia and Qatar which are both Shari’ah states to mention but those two.

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has rejected claims linking its 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to alleged sponsorship of Christian genocide in Nigeria, describing the accusations as unfounded and politically motivated, giving reasons the main sponsor of the bill to that effect, Riley Moore, cannot be trusted.

Speaking during an interview on News Central Television, NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Ladipo Johnson, reacted to reports that some members of the United States Congress had introduced a bill listing Kwankwaso and certain Fulani people as sponsors of violence against Christians.

Johnson clarified that the proposed legislation is not an official position of the U.S. government but an initiative by five lawmakers, stressing that it has not been passed into law.

He suggested that the move may be linked to a previous exchange between Kwankwaso and the US lawmaker following comments by former US President Donald Trump, who had threatened military action against Nigeria over his alleged Christian genocide.

According to Johnson, Kwankwaso responded at the time by asserting Nigeria’s sovereignty and calling for international support in the form of technology and intelligence-sharing to combat insurgency, rather than threats of military action. He alleged that, for his response, a US congressman subsequently bursted into Kwankwaso’s social media handle and accused him of complicity over the introduction of Shari’ah law in Kano State.

Johnson argued that critics have failed to properly investigate the historical context of Shari’ah implementation in Kano, maintaining that the law was enacted by the State House of Assembly and not solely by Kwankwaso’s administration.

He asked to know, as a Christian himself, why Shari’ah is so much the problem of America as if it is a bad system, adding that the US fighting Shari’ah in Nigeria is ironically in bed with Saudi Arabia and Qatar which are both Shari’ah states to mention but those two.

He further claimed that Kwankwaso had faced political backlash during his tenure as governor over issues related to Shari’ah and his support for former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Johnson also referenced former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, stating that tensions at the time affected several political figures.

Addressing the broader issue of violence in Nigeria, Johnson acknowledged ongoing security challenges in parts of the country, including Benue State, but insisted that allegations against Kwankwaso was not only improper but misguided and untrue.

In his own words Ladipo Johnson, a Nigerian lawyer, said, “Well, let us say that it isn’t being put forward by the US. It’s been out forward by five members of Congress because it hasn’t been passed into law, it hasn’t been signed as law in the US yet. The bill will still go through to the Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. So that gives people time to talk about what surrounds the bill and we hope and pray that good sense will prevail when it is at committee stage and that this thing will be jettisoned.”

Going forward he said, “There is some history there between Senator Kwankwaso and Riley Moore who is the main sponsor of the bill. You would recall that President Trump issued a warning, I won’t call it a threat, to Nigeria stating that there will be military action etcetera because of the killing of Christians. At that time, Senator Kwankwaso immediately on the same day I believe replied and stated that, “Look, we are a sovereign nation. We do not need threats. What we need is your support, cutting edge technology, information gathering systems etcetera to help the Nigerian government defeat the insurgency.”

“That was what was in his reply and representative Riley went on Senator Kwankwaso’s handle and stated that “You brought in Shari’ah in 2000 or whatever. You are a complicit thus, that and that.” So I think that is where it all started from apart from the issue of Shari’ah.”

Continuing Johnson said, “If you look at it; did they investigate properly or have they investigated how Shari’ah came to Kano? How Kwankwaso himself was a victim of Shari’ah in Kano? He lost his re-election because he was supporting a Christian, that was President Obasanjo, for his re-election.”

Asked to clarify as to how Kwankwaso losing his re-election was because of Shari’ah, he said, “O yes! All you need to do is to ask the people in Kano, they will tell you what happened then. Even former Governor Ganduje, the political enemy at the moment suffered for it because Kwankwaso couldn’t go out at a stage as governor and Ganduje went to represent him, they ston d Ganduje. The people, they said they wanted Shari’ah. So, the bill wasn’t sponsored by Kwankwaso’s executive. It came from the House (of Assembly).”

He then spoke back at Riley and the US, “Where are the other governors? Kano wasn’t the first. Then show us who was killed under Kwankwaso’s Shari’ah? And then we wonder: Is Shari’ah automatically a bad thing? I am a Christian. The same US is in bed with Saudi Arabia and with Qatar, to name just two that are Shari’ah states.”

Speaking further, he said, “Yes, we have terrible situation in Benue, in various places where Christians are being killed, others are being killed too. But, yes, you have to investigate, do it properly.

“The only thing that I would say is that they have done me a favour, as the publicity secretary, they have made Nigerians know who Kwankwaso is.”

What is the next move now for Senator Kwankwaso, what is he going to do about it? Ladipo Johnson was asked and he replied that, “The only move open to him is to let Nigerians know that is not the situation “I am not the sort of person.”. Once that is done and I believe it has been done, as we have done right now, then he has to make a representation to the US Congress. If it were any other country, he will have to make representation as well.

“It’s not that we are folding our hands, going behind, going in front and bowing down big brother but because of what the repercussion could be and the confidence that Nigerians have in him, he has to restore that, he has to meet them and say to them “How did you get to this conclusion? How is it that it is only my name that is there? How? You have to tell us, you have said Christians are massacred, Christians were killed, this happened, that happened and then you just jumped to Kwankwaso all because he signed the bill for Shari’ah in Kano.

“There must be moderacy and I believe that it will be settled and we would straighten the records in the United States as well.”