Sat Guru Maharaj Ji, the Founder of the One Love Family, has said that for Nigeria to thrive economically, political appointments, especially in the 9th Assembly should be based on merit and not religious sentiment.
Maharaj Ji made this known to newsmen on Tuesday while speaking on the forthcoming 26th Anniversary of Highest Spiritual Centre of the Universe Declaration as the New Holy Land at his Iju Ishaga Temple in Lagos.
He said that the undue pressure by religious bodies on President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint their members was uncalled for and did not reflect the unity expected in Nigeria.
“Religious leaders should be fenced off decision-making on appointments and the appointments should be based on hard work, past records and merit.
“Appointments to high and sensitive government offices by quota is one of the several neo-colonial deity of backwardness in self-governing but pseudo- emancipated Nigeria.
“A competent person is fundamentally a human being, not a Christian, Muslim or religious person.
“As such, focus should be on setting standards that give proper access to competent Nigerians to run government agencies and institutions, irrespective of their religious and ethnic tilt,’’ he said.
Maharaj Ji said that the quest for a united and prosperous Nigeria is a patriotic strive that requires the hard work of patriots.
“Public officers appointed or elected on the premise of religious sentiments cannot but be loyal to the parochial and troublesome sentiments that got them the office they occupy.
“I urged President Buhari to ignore the effusion of religious leaders in midwifing the birth of the 9th republic, ” he said.
(NAN)