If Christians must govern Kwara, Muslims must be governors in Ekiti, Ondo- MURIC
By Ali Baba-Inuwa
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says a Christian cannot be the governor of Kwara State, because Christians constitute less than 20 percent of the state population.
Barrister Taofeek Jaji, Chairman, MURIC, Kwara State Chapter stated this in a statement issued on Monday.
Jaji said it was even sad that Ekiti and Ondo States with large Muslim population had never conceded the position of deputy governor to the Muslims.
“The demand by Christian stakeholders for a Kwara governor of their faith, sounds reasonable until we apply the same logic elsewhere.
“If fairness means Christians must govern Kwara because Muslims have had the slot, then let’s be fair everywhere. Why can’t this coalition advise the Christians of Ekiti and Ondo States to give Muslims in their states who are more than 35% of the population the governorship slots? Why are Kwara Christians who are less than 20% of the population of the state agitating for the post of governor?
“To date, Christians in Ekiti and Ondo have not conceded even the post of deputy governor to Muslims in this democratic dispensation. How about Kwara Christians starting from there? Kwara Christians became Oliver Twist overnight because their Muslim neighbours have always given them the deputy governorship post.
“What about the South-South and South-East, where Muslims are tiny minorities and have never governed?,” he said.
Jaji added: “Meanwhile, Kwarans already practice inclusion politics. The State routinely elects Christian deputy governors. That is real representation, not tokenism. In fact, our political culture is so mature that a Muslim-Muslim ticket could fly here without consequence. The fact that we still choose Christian deputies shows goodwill, not weakness.
“Now to the mathematics: Kwara votes majority Muslim. Political parties exist to win, not to make symbolic gestures. So, asking a party to pick a Christian candidate here is like asking the North to pick a Christian vice-president for the president, it ignores the simple truth that you must win first before you can serve.
“The coalition’s history lesson about past governors misses this point.Governors are elected by voters, not appointed by churches. If the majority keeps voting a certain way, that’s democracy, not conspiracy.
“The Coalition should stop framing leadership as religious entitlement. In this scenario, the coalition ought to call for all political parties to field their best candidates, regardless of faith, and let voters reward competence, integrity, and the ability to unite us. Let’s be consistent about religious politics, at least. Kwara Christians should not be too eager to adopt ‘Oliver asks for more’ slogan.”
