The General Secretary, League of Imams and Alfas in Ekiti state, Alhaji Abdulrasak Adenipekun has urged Muslim community in the state to disregard the order that they should reject Sallah gifts from Governor Ayodele Fayose over allegation that his appointments were skewed in favour of Christians.
The body warned Muslim faithful to avoid being used to drag Islam into politics under any guise, saying such could erode the respect the religion commands among Nigerians.
A statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by the General Secretary, League of Imams and Alfas, described the governor as a defender of all faiths and that he has been fair to Muslims in the appointments made so far.
A group under the League of Imams and Alfas in a statement signed by Alhaji Quadri Oguntuase, on Tuesday issued a statement condemning Fayose over what it described as deliberate marginalization of Muslims in his appointments.
Aside this, the group ordered all Muslims adherents in Ekiti to reject rams and other gifts offered them for Eid-el-Kabir celebration to protest alleged marginalisation of their members.
Adenipekun, who countered the allegation, described Oguntuase as an impostor, saying he remains the authentic and only recognized authority that can sign on behalf of the body, adding that those dragging the Islam into politics are incurring the wrath of Allah, if they refuse to desist.
In his words, “We wish to dissociate the league of Imams and Alfas in Ekiti from the purported press statement credited to Alhaji Oguntuase. While we don’t want to get involved in politics as a religious organization, we must state that Fayose has demonstrated the highest respect for Muslims faithful in the state.
“On the purported call on Muslims not to receive Sallah gifts from Governor Fayose, we want to state that Muslims in Ekiti are not only expecting gifts from Fayose, we will gladly accept the gifts.
“We must state that the governor has never doscriminated against Muslims. During his first tenure, he appointed a Muslim Perm Sec, Alhaji Yakubu Sanni. The present Special Adviser on Political Matter, Alhaji Ademola Bello, is a Muslim.”
