An Islamic advocacy group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has congratulated the winner of the 2023 presidential election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director of the organisation described Tinubu’s victory as historic.
According to him, Yoruba Christians have occupied the post in the past. The president-elect will be the first Muslim from the region to be voted for.
“We congratulate Yoruba Muslims for securing the presidency for the first time since independence. It is on record that three Yoruba Christians have occupied the post in the past. The victory of Tinubu, a moderate Yoruba Muslim, came as a fulfilment of the yearnings of Muslims in the region,” he said.
The statement also read, “First and foremost, we thank Almighty Allah for making Tinubu’s victory at the polls a fait accompli. Next, we congratulate the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaban of Borgu, for this great feat and we wish him two successful terms in good health, bounteous national prosperity, peace and stability. Bola Tinubu is, indubitably, not only the most eminently qualified for the position but the best well-prepared for it. His victory is therefore well deserved.”
It continued, “We urge the President-Elect to remain focused on rebuilding Nigeria as he rebuilt Lagos and to stay in character by inspiring religious tolerance the same way he had always tolerated all faiths. We have no scintilla of doubt that Tinubu, who has been married to a Christian pastor for the past 40 years and led a happy marital life, will successfully manage a multi-religious entity like Nigeria.
“We give kudos to INEC for doing a great and professional job. Professor Mahmood Yakubu will be remembered for his nonpartisanship. We call on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s government when it finally comes on board. We remind the opposition to accept the status quo because it is only Allah that picks leaders of men. Romans 13:1 says, ‘Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.’
“The Glorious Qur’an 3:26 also says, ‘Say Oh Allah, Lord of all dominions! You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take away dominion from whom You will, You exalt whom You will, and abase whom You will. In Your Hand is all good. Surely You are All-Power-ful.’ We therefore charge the main opposition candidates to accept the wish of Allah, congratulate Tinubu and work together with the President Elect in order to sustain the good work of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is not the time to dissipate resources on legal disputes. Nigeria needs peace and stability.
“MURIC congratulates the Yoruba people for Tinubu’s victory. Two great sons of Yorubaland, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief M. K. O. Abiola tried it in vain but today, another great son, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a bona fide Yoruba and the greatest political strategist in Nigeria has won the presidency. It is an achievement worthy of celebration by this great ethnic nationality.”
“We, therefore, call on all the Yoruba people regardless of religion, ideology and political leaning to rally behind Tinubu and to transform his ’emilokannism’ (it is my turn) to ‘awalokanism’ (it is our turn),” the statement added.
