Leading Islamic Clerics in Edo State have taken a swipe at the nine PDP lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly over what they termed the “attempt to hijack the apparatus of government”.
The Islamic Clerics under the aegis of League of Imams led by their Chairman and Chief Imam of Benin, Mallam Abdulfattah Enabulele, during a visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole at the weekend, to round off the Ramadan Fasting said “they say we (religious leaders) should continue to pray for peace to reign in the country. How can God answer such prayers when agents of oppression, suppression, aggression refuse to allow the moral virtues of justice, equity and fair-play, honesty and sincerity be their guarding principles?
“The battle in the Edo State House of Assembly is about some few individual’s interest who want to hijack the apparatus of government by any means. They want to produce the majority in the House of Assembly and thereafter elect their Speaker and when they have successfully achieved their goal in the House of Assembly, the next stage is to move against the Executive by impeaching the Governor and the Deputy.
“When the struggle in the Assembly started, I decided to admonish the congregation in one of the Friday Juma’a Service about the issues at stake because it is part of our responsibility to inform, enlighten, educate and admonish our people on current issues taking place and we must not shy away from speaking the truth as religious leaders, as we are going to stand before our creator to give account of our stewardship.”
The League of Imams assured the Governor that the Muslim community were praying for him, saying “insha Allah, you will complete the mandate given to you by Edo people and no amount of any diabolical manipulation will make them succeed.”
Speaking on the stoppage of the Governor from flying from the Benin Airport, recently, the Imams said “unable to protect its nationals from rag-tag religious militants, the Nigerian state has resorted to harassing and assaulting its most prominent citizens.
The shameless assault on freedom of movement and freedom of association that took place at the Benin Airport against the elected and serving Governor of Edo State and other state Governors of the opposition party on Thursday, 19, June, 2014 is a brutal rape of one of the fundamental tenets of liberal democracy.
“Our concern is that if democratically elected Governors who have immunity guaranteed by the Constitution could be so shabbily treated despite the high office they occupy, then ordinary citizens like us would become easy targets for the overzealous men of the security agencies.
“This action must be condemned by all because it is an infringement on the freedom of movement and association. This is the first time in the history of this country I am hearing of Governors going for a rally being stopped by ‘Orders from above. This unbecoming scenario never took place even during the despotic military era.”
In his response, Governor Oshiomhole thanked the Islamic Clerics for their Ramadan visitand for their continued prayers for peace and security in the state, saying the harmony which exists between people of different faith in the state has made the Edo the safest in the country and a destination for investors.
He said he was happy that the Clerics understood that a few people in the State House of Assembly wanted to impose their will on the majority and that they had defied several court orders with the connivance of some Policemen who helped them to break the law.
