The Ondo State chapter of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Monday said a Muslim should be given a chance to become the next governor of the state.
NSCIA lamented that over 40 years that the state has been created, Muslims in the state have been shortchanged by political gladiators in terms of reaching the peak of their political or civil service levels.
The State Chairman of NSCIA, Imam Habibullah Akinpelumi, who stated this at a press conference in Akure, the state capital also said political parties would be causing more harm if they present Christian/Christian ticket ahead of the November 26, poll.
Akinpelumi said, “since the creation of Ondo state, the Muslim community of our place of pride has consistently support the political and socio-economic development of our dear state with no less than 45 percent measure.
“We have consistently worked for the success of past and present administration, even when the state is being ruled by an evangelist we still gave our best to ensure the success of his administration.
“The question is what did we get as a community for this progressive stand? The answer to this one million dollar question is as clear as the horizon. The Muslims in the state have nothing to show for their contribution to the development of Ondo State.
“From the civil service to the public sector, education to health sector, industries and engineering and the worth the political field. The Muslims have been paid with nothing.
“We have been treated worse than even a second class citizen in a place we were borne and are proud to call ours. We have been shortchanged and reduced to nothing. Our situation is precarious and if care is not taken the future may be catastrophic.
“Muslims have never being appointed as Head of Service, Chairman Civil Service Commission, Chairman teaching Service commission, Accountant and auditor general of the state. Muslim as a community has never produced the Chief judge.
“The worst experience the Muslim as a whole have always had is that the political gladiators who call the shot have always denied the Muslims the road to prosperity. They have always denied the Muslims juicy political post not for wants of competency but because of their religious inclination. They have made it a law that a Muslim cannot rule this state that we all claim to own together”.
“We are saying with more than 1.5milliom muslim in our dear state and with over 500,000 voting power, Muslims are poised politically with a strong vigor to determine who the next governor our state would be.
“We are saying this for posterity, Muslims today, more than any other group, are poised to give any political party who wish to listen to this call our block vote
“While we would continue our campaign for a Muslim governor in the state with a renewed vigor, we will not comprise our present political height.
“We will dare any political party that will produce a Christian-Christain ticket. Any political party that fly anything less than a balance ticket may regret it decision, we will aggressively mobilise the consolidated muslim Ummah of the state for the next governorship election”.
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