A group known as the Christian Rights Nigeria has kicked against the rejection of some commissioner-nominees in Lagos State by the state House of Assembly on alleged religious grounds.
On Wednesday, the Assembly approved 22 of the 39 nominees submitted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The protesting group said the parliament’s decision was inspired by the agitation of a “right wing extremist religious group known as Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) of one Prof. Ishaq Akintola”.
Listing elected members of the Assembly and other political office holders, the Christian Rights Nigeria concluded that there are more Muslims than Christians in political leadership in the state.
In a statement titled ‘Lagos House of Assembly, Don’t Stoke Religious Tension in Lagos’, and signed by its National Lead, Pastor Eliashib James, the group said: “We have watched in utter amazement the unfolding drama at the Lagos State House of Assembly where surreptitious moves are being made by the House leadership to stoke religious tension in Lagos state. Egged on by a right wing extremist religious group known as Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) of one prof. Ishaq Akintola, the House of Assembly has manifested this by its rejection of a number of commissioner nominees in the state.
“We state without any equivocation that this is pure religious blackmail as contrary to the propaganda of MURIC, which the House of Assembly latched on, there are more Muslims in the government of Lagos than Christians.
“For example, starting from the House of Assembly, there are more Muslims than Christians.
“This is the list of the 40 elected members of the 10th Lagos Assembly:
1. Hon. Mudashiru A. Obasa – Agege 01 (APC)
2 Hon. Jubreel Abdulkareem – Agege 02 (APC)
3 Hon. Olumoh Saad Lukman – Ajeromiifelodun 01 (APC)
4 Hon. Akanbi Oluwa – Ajeromiifelodun 02 (APC)
5 Hon. Jimoh Orelope– Alimosho 01 (APC)
6 Hon. Kehinde O. Joseph – Alimosho 02 (APC)
7 Hon. Foluke Osafile – Amuwo Odofin 01 (LP)
8 Hon. Tunde Fashina Amuwo Odofin 02 (LP)
9 Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda – Apapa 01 (APC)
10 Hon Aina Lawal – Apapa 02 (APC)
11 Hon. Solomon Bonus – Badagry 01 (APC)
12 Hon. (Engr.) Setonji David Samuel – Badagry 02 (APC)
13 Hon. Tobun Abiodun – Epe 01 (APC)
14 Hon. Sylvester O. Ogunkelu – Epe 02 (APC)
15 Hon. Noheem Adams – Eti Osa 01 (APC)
16 Hon. (Engr.) Yishawu Olusegun Gbolahan – Eti Osa 02 (APC)
17 Hon. Fatai Oluwa – Ibeju Lekki 01 (APC)
18 Hon. Oladele Ajayi – Ibeju Lekki 02 (APC)
19 Hon. Adedeji Temitope A. – Ifako Ijaiye 01 (APC)
20 Hon. Emmanuel Olotu – Ifako Ijaiye 02 (APC)
21 Hon. Adeseyi Lawal – Ikeja 01 (APC)
22 Hon. Kasunmu Adedamola – Ikeja 02 (APC)
23 Hon. Gbolahan Ogunleye – Ikorodu 01 (APC)
24 Hon. Moshood Aro – Ikorodu 02 (APC)
25 Hon. Sanni Ganiyu B. – Kosofe 01 (APC)
26 Hon. Saheed Femi – Kosofe 02 (APC)
27 Hon Olumegbon Lawal – Lagos Island 01 (APC)
28 Hon. Olanrewaju S. Afinni – Lagos Island 02 (APC)
29 Hon Owolabi Ibrahim A. – Lagos Mainland 01 (APC)
30 Hon. Rasheed Shabi – Lagos Mainland 02 (APC)
31 Hon Akinsanya A. Nureni – Mushin 01 (APC)
32 Hon. Olayinka Kazeem – Mushin 02 (APC)
33 Hon. Olusegun Ege – Ojo 01 (APC)
34 Hon. Tijani Suraju O. – Ojo 02 (APC)
35 Hon. Oladapo Ajomale – Oshodi01 Isolo 01 (APC)
36 Hon. Stephen Ogundipe – Oshodi01 Isolo 02 (APC)
37 Hon. Rotimi Olowo – Somolu 01 (APC)
38 Hon. Abiru Rotimi Lateef – Somolu 02 (APC)
39 Hon. Elliot Desmond O. – Surulere 01 (APC)
40 Hon. (Mrs.) Sangodara Mosunmola Rotimi – Surulere 02 (APC)
“Similarly, there is the preponderance of Muslims over Christians among the 57 local government Chairmen in the state.
1. Yisa Jubril/Samuel Ayodele (Iba)
2. Wasiu Adesina/Sade Olabanji-Oba (Ikorodu Central)
3. Valentine Buraimoh/Maureen Ashara (Amuwo-Odofin)
4. Usman Hamzat/Oluwatoyin Akerele (Ifako-Ijaiye)
5. Tijani Olusi/Akinyemi Eshinokun (Lagos Island)
6. Surah Animashaun/Sikiru Owolomanshe (Epe)
7. Sulaiman Jelili/Ibrahim Johnson (Alimosho)
8. Rasulu Idowu/Edna Uche-Ubochi (Ojo)
9. Rashidat Adu/Olusegun Ogunbiyi (Iru, Victoria Island)
10. Rasaq Ajala/Oluseyi Jakande (Odi-Olowo)
11. Rasak Ibrahim/Matthew Olaleye (Coker- Aguda)
12. Ramotullau Hassan-Akinola/Olanrewaju Moshood (Oriade)
13. Omolola Essein/Jubril Kolawole (Lagos Mainland)
14. Oluwaseun Gabriel/Samson Aromire (Apapa)
15. Olusesan Daini/Nuraini Okedina-Maja (Igbogbo Baiyeku)
16. Olusegun Onilude/Pedetin Kappa (Badagry Central)
17. Olusegun Odunmbaku/Bunmi Oluyadi (Ojodu)
18. Olufemi Rafiu/John Ogundare (Eti-Osa East)
19. Olufemi Okeowo/Adejinyan Ojora (Ifelodun)
20. Olatunde Folorunso/Monsuru Ogungbemi (Olorunda)
21. Olanrewaju Sulaimon/Adesegun Aluko (Ikorodu West)
22. Olanrewaju Apatira/Oluwayomi Lawrence (Itire-Ikate)
23. Oladotun Olakanle/Olufunke Hassan (Onigbongbo)
24. Oladele Oshinowo/Folake Kayode (Agboyi Ketu)
25. Oladapo Famuyiwa/Ajoke Obe (Agbado-Oke Odo)
26. Olabisi Adebajo/Adewale Hamzat (Mosan Okunola) Musbau Ashafa/
27. Abiodun Kareem (Oto Awori)
28. Moyosore Ogunlewe/Saliu Babatunde (Kosofe) Motunrayo
29. Gbadebo-Alogba/Femi Kabir (Ijede)
30. Monsuru Bello/Ayodele Ayodeji (Ejigbo)
31. Mojeed Balogun/Yomi Mayungbe (Ikeja)
32. Lasisi Akinsanya/Afeez Akinyemi (Igando-Ikotun)
33. Kunle Sanyaolu/Mutiu Adebiyi (Egbe-Idimu)
34. Kunle Agoro/Ayodele Benson (Imota)
35. Kolade Alabi/Zainat Kupouyi (Bariga)
36. Kayode Omiyale/Bolanle Ayeleru (Yaba LCDA)
37. IIsmail Akinloye/Lateef Adesanya (Eredo)
38. Henugbe Gbenu/Rauf Ibrahim (Badagry West)
39. Hammed Tijani/Coker Oladipo (Ojokoro)
40. Ganiu Egunjobi/Gbenga Abiola (Agege)
41. Funmilayo Akande/Olawale Olufemi (Apapa-Iganmu)
42. Fuad Atanda-Lawal/Akinbowale Macaulay (Ikoyi/Obalende)
43. Emmanuel Bamgboye/Tunbosun Aruna (Mushin)
44. Bolatito Sobowale/Omoshalewa Laguda (Ayobo-Ipaja)
45. Banjo Adebisi/Olawale Ameen (Ikorodu North)
46. Bamidele Yusuf/Muiz Dosumu (Surulere)
47. Bamidele Kasali/Oluremi Alogba (Lekki)
48. Babatunde Johnson/Kafila Akanni (Orile Agege)
49. Ayoola Fatai/Lucky Uduikhue (Ajeromi).
50. Almoruf Oloyede/Modupe Badmus (Oshodi)
51. Alade Folawiyo/Adejoke Balogun (Lagos Island East)
52. Adewale Anomo/Wasiu Dehinsilu (Ikosi Ejinrin)
53. Adesegun Bankole/Adeola Adetoro (Eti-Osa)
54. Adebayo Olasoju/Sadiq Saliu (Isolo)
55. Abolanle Bada/Olayinka Ogunleye (Ikosi/Isheri)
56. Abdullahi Olowa/Isiaka Olatunji (Ibeju)
57. Abdulhamed Salawu/Adekunle Ekinyemi (Somolu)
“Also, all the three Senators in Lagos State are Muslims. They are:
Senator Lagos Central – Senator Sanni Wasiu Eshilokunon;
Senator Lagos East – Senator Tokunbo Abiru;
Senator Lagos West – Senator Oluranti Adebule.
“Despite these, we Christians never raised eyebrow. So why is the Lagos State House of Assembly stoking religious tension by rejecting many Commissioner-nominees on religious grounds, deceptively couched for the public as insufficient documentation?
“For a political party that has a Muslim/Muslim ticket and recently appointed new Chairman and Secretary who are both Muslims, reeks of outlandish hypocrisy.
“We need to caution the Lagos State House of Assembly to stop this dangerous religious politics for the peace and progress of Lagos State”.
