Ekiti Muslims deny endorsing Fayemi
Muslims in Ekiti State have denied endorsing Governor Kayode Fayemi for re-election in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The President of League of Imams and Alfas in the state, Alhaji Jamiu Kewulere Bello, said Ekiti Muslims were surprised to read in the media that Muslim ummal had endorsed Fayemi for a second term in office.
The statement which was jointly issued by other Islamic groups like ‘The Life Patron and Matron of Federation of Muslim Women and Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigerian (FOMWAN), said at no time was such a position taken by them .
Bello, who claimed that he signed the statement on behalf of the entire Muslims in the state, described such a declaration as “reckless, un-Islamic and far from the truth.”
The statement said though the league was not a political forum but could only express faith in divine ability of Allah to choose a good leader for the state, adding that the choice of a Muslim running mate by Labour Party and Michael Opeyemi Bamidele was commendable and timely.
It stated that the endorsement position was a mere imagination of some faceless individuals and should therefore be ignored in its entirety.
It reads further that:”The President League of Immas and Alfas Ekiti State, the Life Patron and Matron of Federation of Muslim Women in Ekiti State and the entire Muslims ummal in Ekiti State are quite astonished to read a press statement made on behalf Ekiti FOMWAN in the media that Governor Kayode Fayemi has been adopted as sole candidate in June 21st election”
“We describe this as reckless, unislamic and far from the truth. The Muslims in Ekiti believe strongly in infinite mercy of Allah to choose a good leader for our dear state and not through the paid or back door manner like the one released to the press.
“The Muslims in Ekiti State remain solidly behind the Labour Party and its candidate, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele for his commendable efforts and firm believe in equity, fairness and justice in picking a woman of virtues among the Muslim fold, in person of Alhaja Mariam Abimbola Ogunlade as his running mate.
“We soundly affirm our hope in Allah that these two great minds would be massively supported through our votes and prayers to see them as the governor and deputy governor-elect respectively in the June 21st election in the state
“Muslims in this state and beyond should ignore the release as it came from drowning individuals and not from any constituted authority within the Muslim in Ekiti State.”