Alleged marginalisation: Forum faults Sultan’s comments

By Idibia Gabriel

A Muslim youth, Northern Youth Forum (NYF), has decried the comments made by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, in which he was said to have alleged the marginalisation of Nigerian Muslims by the present administration.

The Forum, in a statement by its National Director of Mobilisation, Barrister Sirajo Gwaranyo, on Friday in Kaduna, said a recent statement credited to the Sultan of Sokoto alleging that Nigerian Muslims “are marginalised” and “they are not happy,” was full of implications.
The Forum said: “We are compelled to respond to the Sultan’s statement due to its implication to the unity and security of this country. For the leader of Muslims in this country to have made such declaration at this time when the nation is battling to maintain peace, harmony and security of lives and properties is uncalled for.”

It said there was no evidence of marginalisation based on the available statistics at their disposal; “in the current distribution of public offices, the VP, Speaker of House of Representatives, two Ministers of Defence, National Security Adviser, IGP and Controller of Customs, to mention few, are Muslims.”
The Forum, therefore, called on the muslins in the country to blame their leaders occupying strategic positions and still allowed people to suffer in abject poverty and pains.

They said even though the Sultan claimed that the statement was not meant for political motivation, the pronouncement betrayed his denial, adding that the timing of making such statements too, was itself enough to call for concern.
It, therefore, advised Muslim and Christian leaders to always weigh the implications of their statements, both privately and publicly, for the purpose of peace and stability of the country.