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Osun Rerun


Osun Rerun: Muslim Community Raises Concerns On Adeleke As Police Arrest 3 For Alleged Vote Buying









Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a civic group, is currently raising some concerns on the governorship of Osun State in the event of the state shifting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This is coming as the Nigeria Police say they have arrested some persons for alleged vote buying.

MURIC wants the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, to urgently allay some fears of some of their members, who are fearing that they will have a “raw deal” in the event of his emergence as the governor after the rerun on Thursday.

Ahead of tomorrow’s election, the Police said another three persons have been arrested for allegedly soliciting to buy additional Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), after one was arrested in Iwo Local Government Area with N600,000 during the governorship elections on Saturday.

One Salawu Mutiu Kolawole who claimed to be a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also arrested on Saturday, by party supporters at Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state for tearing an INEC result sheet, as directed by one Mrs Aderinoye, a superior officer who allegedly called him to tear the result pasted at the St. Peters School Ayedaade.

The latest set of culprits were arrested on Monday at Adewale street, Alekuwodo area, Osogbo, one of the polling units the re-run election is scheduled to take place on Thursday.
They were said to be soliciting to buy additional PVCs from one Olawale Kazeem of No. 4B, Adewale Street, Alekuwodo area, Osogbo and Azeez Sulaiman of No. 3A, Akinlade Street, Alekuwodo.

It was gathered that when the duo declined to sell their PVC, they were allegedly attacked by the supporters of the suspects.
The suspects are 60 years old Alhaji Fatai Diekola of Catholic Mission Road, Osogbo, 54 years old Sikiru Lawal of No. 27, Mafowurosere Street, Jaleoyemi area, Osogbo and Adekilekun Segun aged 54years of 4B, Timehin Street, Isale-Osun, Osogbo.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP) Folashade Odoro further told The News Chronicle that the three suspects in a reprisal, were attacked and wounded by a mob before the intervention of the Police leading to their arrest.
The wounded were taken to the Police Hospital for medical treatment, while some PVCs alleged to have been bought from other people in the state were also recovered at the scene.

The Police who assured the people of the state and other critical stakeholders of its commitment to ensure a free and fair rerun election said, investigation was ongoing on the new case and the report will be made public.

Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola said that its members are apprehensive over plans by Senator Adeleke to return mission schools to their owners if he becomes governor of Osun.

MURIC argued that the need by the PDP candidate to make clarifications on this was because the implications are very serious when considered against the background of the running battle, over the mission schools between the Christians and Muslims in the state in the past eight years.

The Muslim movement insisted that as far as it was concerned, there is a big threat to religious freedom for Muslims if a candidate has entered into a pact with Christians leaders to return schools to the missions.
“If Adeleke has a pact with Christian leaders, what agreement does he have with the Muslims? He may be taking Osun Muslims for a ride. He has to explain.

“He was only known as Senator Ademola Adeleke prior to his emergence as candidate but suddenly he became Nurudeen. Our strong suspicion is that this Nurudeen converted to Christianity a longtime ago but he now finds it mandatory to portray himself as a Muslim in order to deceive gullible Muslims.

“He appeared on Id ground during Salah. But that should not surprise anyone because even Fayose attended Salah prayer wearing a turban. But why must politicians deceive Muslims this way? We charge Senator Adeleke to elucidate on this”, MURIC said.

The group went further to inform the PDP candidate of the various petitions it received from Muslim students of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun state over allegations of religious discrimination, forceful attendance of church services and refusal to allow them to worship as Muslims.

The group wants Senator Adeleke to define his connection with the institution where his elder brother, Dr. Deji Adele is the Pro-Chancellor given the passion which members of the Adeleke family have thrown their weight behind his political ambition.

“Can the distinguished senator separate his policies on education as a prospective governor of Osun State from that of the university? Are Muslims in the state not going to come under the sledge hammer just as Muslim students are facing persecution in Adeleke University?.

“The road to freedom to use hijab in public schools was rough and hard. We doubt if Muslims in the state will be ready to tolerate a reverse incase an anti-Muslim governor emerges winner”, the group sought to know.

Speaking further on this, the president of Osun State Muslim Community, Alhaji Mustapha Olawuyi explained that there is a back door approach to banish hijab from public schools, due to the level of “hate and lack of religious tolerance” displayed in the Adeleke University Ede and Bowen University in Iwo.

“We will not fold our hands and allow that happen in our schools. It will be resisted with full force. We just fought for hijab for three years, so anyone who intends to mitigate our rights or oppress us should forget his ambition to become a governor in this state. In OsunState, we are aware of our rights and we have enlightened populace.

“If it is true that a pledge was made to return schools to the missionaries, then religion has been introduced into the politics of Osun state. Therefore, nobody should tell MURIC not to intervene in the politics of Osun state”, Alhaji Olawuyi said.

He added that this is not about supporting any political party, but because of the fact that Muslims are spread across all the political parties, its interest lies in the protection of the Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims.

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