Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on public communications and new media to Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister, has called on Ishaq Akintola, director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), to focus on advocating for Islam and refrain from sowing religious division among Nigerians.
Olayinka, reacting to Akintola’s statement on the suspension of Shehu Hadi, the executive secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), emphasised that the minister was not leading the FCTA on religious grounds.
The FCT minister’s spokesperson stated, “Just as the appointing authority is not required to provide reasons for an appointment, the suspending authority is not obligated to disclose the reasons for a suspension, as long as the individual suspended is aware of the cause.”
“Most importantly, the position of the FCDA executive secretary is not a family chieftaincy title and the business of the office once occupied by Shehu Ahmad Hadi, is running perfectly.”
While calling the attention of Akintola to Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) position on obedience to authorities, Olayinka said; “I doubt if Prof Akintola is aware that on the authority of Abu Huraira, it was narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said; ‘It is obligatory for you to listen to the ruler and obey him in adversity and prosperity, in pleasure and displeasure, and even when another person is given (rather undue) preference over you.’
“If Prof Akintola is aware of this and has imbibed it, he will simply counsel the suspended FCTA executive secretary to accept his fate as a Muslim, rather than this seeming sponsorship of media attacks against the Minister and fanning the embers of religious discord.”
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