EDSCIA condemns endorsement of a candidate by Muslims in Edo

By Angela James,

 

The Executive of Edo State Council for Islamic Affairs (EDSCIA) and the Muslim Ummah in the state has expressed concern over reports in various news media purporting to have endorsed one politician or the other in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

 

Chairman of EDSCIA, Alhaji Abdulazeez Nosakhare Iginidu made this clarification in a press briefing in Benin to douse the tension which the so-called endorsements may have caused within the Muslim Ummah in the State.

 

Iginidu stated that EDSCIA headed by Alhaji Abdulazeez Nosakhare Igbinidu is the only one recognised by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, noting that this was further confirmed when an invitation was extended to him and other officials of the body to attend the last General Assembly/NEC meeting that took place at Abuja in 2019.

 

While pointing out that EDSCIA is not a political organisation, Igbinidu said that though EDSCIA recognised that some of their members belong to those organisations where they are striving to actualise their political aspirations and that they are not against any of their legitimate actions to perfect their political interest through their various political parties and associations.

 

” That Edo State Council for Islamic Affairs headed by Alhaji Abdulazeez Nosakhare Igbinidu is the only body that has the power to speak on behalf of Muslim community in Edo State and that this body did not authorize or direct any individual or group of Muslims purported to act on behalf of Edo State Chapter for Islamic Affairs or any other name to endorse politicians.

 

That we condemn in its entirety the purported endorsement of a particular politician using the name of Edo State Chapter for Islamic Affairs or any other name as they don’t have such a right to speak on behalf of Edo Muslims “.

 

He urged Muslims in the State to ignore all such endorsements and continue with their political activities as individuals or independent groups adding that all politicians seeking for election under the various parties should feel free to solicit for vote or campaign to whomever they wish, including the Muslims.

 

He, therefore, pleaded with Muslims not to contribute negatively to the already tensed political atmosphere in the State by their actions saying that as a religious body they shall continue to pray for a peaceful and successful election in the State.

 

EDSCIA is a religious body and an umbrella body of Muslims and Muslim organisations with the objective of promoting Islamic tenets in the State.

 

Earlier, some group of Muslims endorsed a candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the State.