MURIC condemns Onaiyekan’s outburst against president-elect

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to the comment made by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan over the February 25 poll, describing it as “jaundiced and disappointing.”

According to the Islamic human rights group, Onaiyekan had earlier described the victory of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as “discredited.”  He was quoted as saying, ‘I love peace but I will never endorse Tinubu’s discredited victory to pacify Nigerians.”

In a statement signed by Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group noted that Cardinal Onaiyekan’s outburst was jaundiced and disappointing.

The statement read in parts: “It is integrity-bruising. He had hitherto occupied a lofty position of veneration in Muslim circles. He was believed to be the epitome of moderation and the embodiment of tolerance and fairness. His figure towered above gymnastic religiosity. But he has now disappointed his Muslim admirers. 

“America, Britain, China, India, some African countries among others have congratulated the winner, but Onaiyekan still considers the victory discredited. It is astonishing that a man whom the Muslims used to consider as the only objective Christian leader who is far from the tramadolised crowd has let them down.
  
“Onaiyekan should have advised opposition candidates among the winners of Senate and House of Representatives elections who trooped out to collect their return certificates on Tuesday and Wednesday to boycott the event. Or is it Tinubu’s victory alone that was discredited?
  
“Leaders must choose their words very carefully. Whoever wants to be judgmental must not be selective. Those who come to equity must come with clean hands. How can the election be discredited for Tinubu as a winner, but credible for winners among members of the opposition party?
 
“Better still, the Cardinal should have told the opposition, particularly his anointed candidate, to boycott the election ab initio. Cardinal Onaiyekan is crying over spilt milk. It is useless locking the gate after the horse has bolted. All the political parties that participated in the election are already involved.
 
“We do not expect a leader of Onaiyekan’s status to manifest bitterness, while licking his wounds. Nigerians understand what happened. Without conducting a census based on creed, the cardinal had shared the delusional belief that Christians outnumber Muslims in Nigeria. Of course, he learned the hard way. It was on that basis that he encouraged the brazen confrontation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. There is bound to be shock and aftershock after a political tsunami.”

The statement added that Onaiyekan’s aim was designed to massage the ego of Christian leaders with all their false soothsayers. The group called on the cardinal not to dissipate his energy on denying the reality, but should identify and assemble those who misled Nigerian Christians with their false predictions and ridiculous prognostications for some home truths. However, MURIC, appreciates many other Christians who are not swayed by emotions and false predictions.