Cabinet list: Muslim groups protest as Lagos Assembly concludes screening

.Seek re-composition to include 60% of Muslims

The Muslim Community in Lagos State, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest at the House of Assembly to express dissatisfaction against what it described as blatant disregard for justice, equity and fairness against Muslims in the list of commissioner-nominees sent by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the lawmakers.

It, therefore, rejected the list and called for its reversal and re-composition to include 60 per cent in favour of Muslims.

The group, led by its President, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, said the protest was necessitated to call the attention of the Assembly, which concluded screening of the nominees yesterday, to the lopsided and discrimination against Muslims in the proposed executive cabinet of Sanwo-Olu.

According to him, the nominees’ list is a classic case of discrimination and religious bigotry, as it has 31 nominees that are of the Christian faith, while only eight nominees are Muslims.

He said: “This is not a new development, especially since Governor Sanwo-Olu assumed office, but it has now been elevated to a level of official state policy to deny Muslims their deserved positions under the incumbent administration.

“Before the group resolved to protest, MCL had sent a petition to the Assembly, and also organised a media briefing but the matter is yet to be addressed.
“Despite the protest, the Assembly went ahead and concluded the four-day screening it started on Sunday.

“For instance, in 2019 when Sanwo-Olu became governor, he appointed 14 special advisers and only one among them was a Muslim. Again, his State Executive Council, which had 43 members, only 14 were Muslims, and the remaining 29 were Christians. Also, of the 23 commissioners, 10 were Muslims and 13 of them were Christians. Only 15 Muslims, with 35 Christians, made up the body of 50 permanent secretaries in his first term. These are just a few among numerous ways in which the Sanwo-Olu-led administration denies Muslims in the state their rights.”

He noted that the argument that Muslims have more elected officials in Lagos State is preposterous, saying: “This is even more so at a time when all the six governors of the South-West are Christians and Muslims are not complaining.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the screening committee, Mojeed Fatai, thanked the Muslim community for expressing their grievances peacefully.

He promised that immediately the Assembly resumed, the petition would be submitted and treated.

He assured the Muslim groups that the outcome would be positive.