The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has cried out against the choice of Olusola Eleka’s deputy governor whom they claim while from a Muslim home is not a practicing Muslim.
In an emailed statement, MURIC claimed that it is in possession of a document which confirms that the deputy governorship candidate of Professor Olusola Eleka is a Christian, not a Muslim as Nigerians were made to believe.
According to MURIC, Eleka’s running mate, Mr. Deji Hakeem Ogunsakin was born into a Muslim family, he converted to Christianity long ago and he is now a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
“We have the proof. We have a copy of a letter addressed to Governor Ayodele Fayose thanking him for picking a member of the Christian denomination. This letter was printed on the letter-head of the Victory Chapel parish situated on Maiye Ogundana Street, Magodo, Shangisha, Lagos. It was duly signed by the pastor of the parish, Bayo Olugbemi.
“There is nothing wrong with being a Christian or a Muslim. There is also nothing wrong with voting for a Christian or Muslim candidate. But it is most shameful and outrageously dishonourable to deceive the public by hiding under the canopy of one religion to gain access to a public post knowing fully well that you are not what you claim to be. It is preposterous, disgusting and repulsive. Can we trust such people with the people’s mandate? Fayose has stolen the portion of Muslims in our common patrimony. It is an act of bad faith. It is dishonesty of the highest order.
“Nigerians can now see where Fayose is coming from and what he stands for. Ekiti people entered one chance the day Fayose was elected. This man is Mr. Jekyll and Hyde. You can never trust him. He perfected the plan to deceive Muslims in his state long ago. We remember how he appeared at the Id ground wearing turban on Salah day, complete with a rosary! But it was a grand display preparatory to this grand deceit. It will be remembered that we issued a statement at the time warning Ekiti Muslims that he was trying to deceive them. We are now vindicated. From now on, any Muslim who hobnobs with Fayose is on his own.
“The wind has blown. We have seen the ruff of the hen. Fayose’s trick has been uncovered. His days are numbered. Everyday is for the thief but just one day is for the owner. Fayose can run but he cannot hide. If he runs to the sea, the sea will be boiling. If he runs to the hills, the hills will be melting in a volcanic eruption. This man is a special study in Chamberlain’s five evils: brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution”.
MURIC hit out at Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose, claiming that he has marginalized Muslims of his state by appointing no single Muslim as a commissioner or permanent secretary throughout his tenure.
“This man has shortchanged Ekiti Muslims. The only ‘Muslim’ good enough for Fayose is the one who converted to Christianity a long time ago. Muslims in Ekiti should therefore ‘shine their eyes’.
“We remind Fayose and his cohots of the words of Abraham Lincoln who said, ‘You can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time’. We warned ekiti Muslims when Fayose picked his ‘Muslim’ deputy for Eleka. We knew he had something up his sleeve. But now the game is up.
“Finally, we charge Ekiti Muslims to remember the hadith of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) ‘The signs of a hypocrite are three: he lies when he speaks; he reneges when he makes a pledge and he betrays when people trust him’. We must equally remember the words of Randal Terry ‘Fool me once, shame on you but fool me a second time, shame on me’.
“Fayose fooled you with his turban on Salah day, he is trying to fool you a second time with Eleka’s deputy whom he presented to you as a Muslim and you rejoiced. Will you allow him to fool you this second time? We leave you with another hadith of the Prophet (PBUH), ‘Wisdom is the property of Muslims’. We affirm that the freedom to choose folly is cheap, the will to be on the side of wisdom is worth a king’s ransom”