Don’t accept Fayose’s rams, Imams tell Muslims

The League of Imams and Alfas in Ekiti has ordered Muslims in the state not to collect rams and other food items for Sallah celebration, if presented to them in any form by the state government.

The League reached the decision at a meeting held on Tuesday at Ansar-u-Deen Society Central Mosque Odo-Otu, Ado Ekiti, where it reviewed the “deliberate marginalisation of Muslim members in Ekiti State Government’s political appointment.”

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation, Ekiti State, had respectively issued statements condemning Governor Ayodele Fayose for neglecting Muslims in appointments.

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, had also described “Fayose’s treatment of Muslims in terms of appointment in the state” as “the worst since the state was created.”

The party claimed Ekiti Muslims were not given up to one per cent of the appointments made by Fayose’s administration.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the League said, “Based on the above, the League, Ekiti State Council, hereby resolved that no Muslim in the state should collect rams and other food items, if presented to them in any form by the government.”

The communiqué was signed by the state’s Assistant Secretary, League of Imams and Alfas, Alhaji Quadri Oguntuase; a Representative of Ansar-u-Deen Missioner, Fatai Jimoh and Chief Imam, Ilogbo, Imam Abdul Rasak.

It added, “Any Muslim that collects such rams or food items under any guise has taken Haram (Unlawful) and the punishment of the Almighty Allah awaits the person. (Quran 71 verse 28).”

“This order stands until the government accedes to our demands as earlier published.”

Fayose had distributed chickens and rice to indigenes during the last Christmas celebration in the state as part of his stomach infrastructure policy.