*Ondo Election: I will not be partisan if elected, Akeredolu Promises (A RECAP)

Ondo State Muslims have, however, ascribed much blame to Alhaji Nurain Akorede and his group for presenting Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as a man of his words with the attitudes imbued with honesty and integrity.

Muslims in Ondo State have in exasperation been asking for the position of Muslims in the political appointments of the state.  Indeed, the recent announcement of the political positions did not go down well with them.

They have formed the opinion that Akeredolu-led administration has shown its readiness to extinguish Muslims and their traces with respect to the issue of decision making in the state.  This is very evident from the political appointees viz Deputy Governor, Speaker of House of Assembly, Chief Protocol and Secretary to the State and other key posts in the state.  All dominated by their Christian counterpart.

With short references to the lessons of the past, since the inception of democracy in 1999, political parties in the state have not been complying with conventional practices in every other states like Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ogun in the Southwestern Nigeria, where it, as a matter of commitment, has been Christian/Muslim ticket or vice versa and the same criteria is also applicable in the sharing of other political positions or offices.

Moreover, in recent time the bulk of Muslims expressed the surprise and their hackles rose as all the parties in the state chose Christian/Christian tickets except the Alliance for Democracy (AD) with Olusola Oke and Ganny Dauda as their Standard bearers.

In a later time, a group, named APC Progressive Muslim Council (APCPMC) headed by Alhaji Nurain Akorede, emerged. This organisation performed excellently in convincing the entire Muslims to vote for Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as the Governor of the state.  Within the twinkling of an eye, the perception, understanding of the entire Muslims, who had vowed not to vote except for a Christian/Christian ticket, changed.  Song of war mooted changed to song of peace and support.

It was clearly established that the position of Secretary to the State Governor (SSG) and other cabinet positions would be given to Muslims as promised by the Mr. Governor – Arakunrin Akeredolu.  The leadership of the party promised.

Our correspondent learnt that with the announcement of Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde a.k.a. Abena as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the entire Muslims in the State felt sad.

It was gathered that PMC, APC’s Progressive Muslim Council headed by Alhaji Nurain Akorede had sold off Muslims to the Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Though, prior to this period, it was further gathered, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had once pointed the accusing finger on Muslims in year 2012 during his first governorship bid on the platform of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) when they requested the position of Deputy Governor.

Sources informed our correspondent that the Association of Muslim Leaders (the league of Imams and Alfas) headed by Alhaji Aladesawe – Chief Imam of Owo and Secretary General of the League of Imams and Alfas South West, Edo and Delta – took money as bribe from Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, an allegation Aladesawe vehemently denied in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.

Further effort has also been made to reach Alhaji Nurain Akorede on phone to speak to him but it was clear from every indication that he deliberately ignored our correspondent’s call and text message over the allegation of compromise against the Muslims Community in the State.

He said it was true that Muslims had no machine guns but “they would continue to agitate until and unless true political freedom is won and that they are being accepted into the state with respect to sharing of political positions on equal basis as it is applicable in other states.”

A particular Muslim cleric in the state, Sheik Najeemdeen Apatira, said, “There is nothing like League of Imams and Alfas again.  It has been scrapped.  And scrapped because the organisation is only a meal ticket among Alhaji Aladesawe, Alhaji Jetemiodara and one Alfa Batuta (one young Muslim cleric from Ikare Akoko).”

Although the amount received by Alhaji Aladesawe as bribe from the man who eventually became Akeredolu’s choice for SSG, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, was not mentioned, Ondo State Muslims have, however, ascribed much blame to Alhaji Nurain Akorede and his group for presenting Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as a man of his words with the attitudes imbued with honesty and integrity.

“Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu naturally despises Muslims. His abortive plan in 2012 to relegate Muslim to nothing would now come to reality. His plan is only to discountenance Muslims and treat them as second class citizens in the state,” a source in the Ondo State Muslim Community said.

The source stated further that Akeredolu’s despise for Muslims was because his father was a Reverend and so that, “the deep seated thought in his mind from childhood up to adulthood about Muslims is despicable.”

He said it was true that Muslims had no machine guns but “they would continue to agitate until and unless true political freedom is won and that they are being accepted into the state with respect to sharing of political positions on equal basis as it is applicable in other states.”

The disappointment by the Akeredolu-led government in the political appointment, according to findings, has frustrated all Muslims in the state to the point of ridicule.

Another observer further asserted that a society based on injustice could only enjoy a temporary peace on a forced mutual toleration. “Someday the dove may become the hawk,” he spoke in apparent disappointment.

He added that, “Muslims have become transparently restive and uncertain about the definite goal of the Akeredolu government with mostly top government positions in the state occupied by none Muslims, juxtaposed with the religious antecedents of the governor.  But the silence of Muslims does not make them coward.  They are watching keenly and getting ready to smash, if the error is not corrected before it is too late.  To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

As at the time of filing this report, efforts were made to get the side of some of the government and APC leaders in the state to comment but to no avail.

In the meantime, leadership of Muslims in Nigeria under the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have been urged to intervene.

Also the national leadership of the party and Presidency were called upon to wade in, bearing in mind that integrity problem lurks ahead for APC if, with what Akeredolu is doing to Muslims in Ondo State, it so early begins to fail in its words over the Ondo State election that got the commitment of all groups including the Ondo State Muslims based on assurances by President Muhammadu Buhari and Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu that the new Ondo State government, if APC voted into it, would be fair to all.  “Yes, we want good governance but we also want fairness to all based on promises which made us commit ourselves to the Akeredolu project,” one of the Muslim leaders said.

Also the national leadership of the party and Presidency were called upon to wade in, bearing in mind that integrity problem lurks ahead for APC if, with what Akeredolu is doing to Muslims in Ondo State, it so early begins to fail in its words over the Ondo State election that got the commitment of all groups including the Ondo State Muslims based on assurances by President Muhammadu Buhari and Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu that the new Ondo State government, if APC voted into it, would be fair to all.

RECAP of Akeredolu’s promises to Islam, Christianity

Ondo Election: I Will Not Be Partisan If Elected, Akeredolu Promises

Channels Television.
Updated November 18, 2016

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has assured the state’s indigenes that if elected he would not be partisan nor favour any religion over the other.

Mr Akeredolu made the promise on Friday at a meeting with the Muslim community in Akure, Ondo State.

He assured them that every resident would be given equal opportunity to exercise his religious right.

the meeting was part of the campaign strategy of the APC ahead of the election.

Received by ‎league of Imams and Alfas led by the Grand Mufti of Muslims in Ondo State, Mr Sheik Surajudeen Batuta, the Imams prayed for the APC flag bearer and urged him to give all religions equal right of worship.

They appealed to all parties not to see the election ‎as a do or die affair, urging them to eschew violence.

Mr Akeredolu had few days ago met with Christian leaders in the state and he also gave them the assurance that he would uphold their right to religion.

After the meeting with the Islamic clerics, the APC train moved on to Okeigbo/Ile Olumirin Local Government Area of the state where the entire town stood still as supporters trooped out in large numbers to receive ‎Mr Akeredolu.

After the campaign, the APC flagbearer was hosted the business community in Ondo State under the aegis of Sunshine Progressive Coalition (SPC).

At that meeting, technocrats, businessmen and academics from across the state tasked Mr Akeredolu on his vision for the state.

Mr Akeredolu told them his administration, if given the opportunity to rule, would focus on job creation and ensure that more local government areas are created.

Campaigns have heightened, as the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State draws closer. All parties involved are doing all that it takes to make their party the option of the electorate, but the APC is optimistic of winning the election.