The Muslim Rights Concern has demanded an explanation for the delay by the Senate in confirming Nasir El-Rufai as a minister.
The Senate had on Monday confirmed 45 out of the 48 ministerial nominees presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, was one of those yet to be confirmed. The Senate did not also confirm the appointment of the former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Senator Abubakar Danladi.
Also not confirmed by the Upper Chamber is one of the Ministerial nominees from Delta State, Stella Okotete.
MURIC on Tuesday, via a statement issued by it’s president, Professor Ishaq Akintola, however, questioned the delay in the clearance of El-Rufai.
The statement read, “The Nigerian Senate yesterday, Monday, 7th August, 2023 confirmed all but two of the ministerial nominations presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The immediate past governor of Kaduna State was one of those yet to be confirmed.
“The people of Kaduna State in particular and Nigerian Muslims in general, are hugely disappointed by the inability of Senate to confirm El-Rufai as a minister.
“What is playing out presently may be an attempt by the anti-Muslim-Muslim camp to get back at him.
“It is also not impossible that the authorities in charge of clearance have succumbed to the threat and blackmail exhibited by a pocket of Shiites who demonstrated at the National Assembly on Tuesday, 1st August, 2023 against the nomination of the former governor a few days ago.
“It is therefore being seen either as an act of vendetta against a former governor who mobilized the Muslim North for a Muslim-Muslim ticket or a vengeful manouvre by a handful of protesters who have no respect for constituted authority. It will be a bad precedent if the wish of either group is allowed to stand as people in positions of authority will henceforth be afraid to do the right thing at the right time.
“Nonetheless, MURIC has full confidence in the ability of the security agencies as well as relevant authorities to get to the root of the matter. Our pontifications above are based on mere speculations but this matter must be put to rest as quickly as possible because Nigerians want to know what happened. We therefore call for explanation and a speedy resolution in order to de-escalate the rising tension among the Nigerian Muslim population.”
Those screened and confirmed are:
1. Abubakar Kyari (Borno State)
2. Abubakar Momoh (Edo State)
3. Nyesom Wike (Rivers State)
4. Prof. Joseph Utsev (Benue State)
5. John Eno (Cross River State)
6. Bello Mohammed (Sokoto State)
7. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa State)
8. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi State)
9. Uju Ken Ohaneye (Anambra State)
10. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo State)
11. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Abia State)
12. Betta Edu (Cross River State)
13. Imaan Suleiman (Nasarawa State)
14. David Umahi (Ebonyi State)
15. Adebayo Olawale Edun (Ogun State)
16. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (Katsina State)
17. Uche Nnaji (Enugu State)
18. Dele Alake (Ekiti State)
19. Waheed Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo State)
20. Muhammad Idris (Niger State)
21. Prof. Ali Pate (Bauchi State)
22. Dr Doris Uzoka (Imo State)
23. Lateef Fagbemi (San) (Kwara State)
24. Ekperikpe Ekpo (Akwa Ibom State)
25. Hannatu Musawa (Katsina State)
26. Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe State)
27. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger State)
28. Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa State)
29. Alkali Ahmed Sa’eed (Gombe State)
30. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu (Kebbi State)
31. Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi State)
32. Bello Matawalle (Zamfara State)
33. Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun State)
34. Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau State)
35. Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo (Kano State)
36. Bosun Tijjani (Ogun State)
37. Dr Mariya Mahmoud (Kano State)
38. Dr Isiyaka Salako (Ogun State)
39. Dr Tunji Alausa (Lagos State)
40. Lola Ade John (Lagos State)
41. Prof. Tahir Mamman (Adamawa State)
42. Zephaniah Jissalo (F.C.T)
43. Uba Maigari Ahmadu (Taraba State)
44. Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Kogi State)
45. Festus Keyamo (San) (Delta State)