The Centre for Promotion of Shari’ah (CPS) has called on Muslims to vote for the political parties and candidates who will ensure justice and protection of their rights and interests,Dailytrust report.
In a communiqué at the end of a one-day stakeholders meeting in Abuja and signed by its National Coordinator, Aminu Inuwa Muhammad, the centre called for the protection of the rights of Muslims in the South West and Muslim minority states.
It expressed dismay over the utterances of some prominent Christian political and religious leaders concerning the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“Current developments in the political landscape of Nigeria have become a source of serious concern to CPS and the general Muslim Ummah in the country. The decision of some parties in the choice of presidential candidates and their respective running mates has attracted unguarded statements from some religious and political leaders, a development that has worsened the already tense political situation,” it said.
The CPS, however, urged Muslims to exercise restraint, promote national integration and peace, but also remain alert and resolute in identifying and protecting their common interests in 2023 and beyond
It added that the Muslim Ummah had been bedeviled with numerous social, political and economic challenges, thus, it had become imperative for Muslim stakeholders to review the strategic interests of Muslims and pursue positive engagements with the major political contenders for the advancement of such interests.
The communique added, “Muslim stakeholders will engage the key presidential candidates with our critical demands. While upholding the rights of all Nigerians to vote and be voted for, the participants asserted that no candidate or presidential ticket should be discredited on the basis of faith.
“Muslims in Nigeria need to properly organise themselves in order to take full advantage of their obvious demographic strength during the 2023 elections.
“Muslims need to pursue proactive measures towards countering the negative profiling in the media as well as the moral drift and mischief prevalent in the social media.”
