South West leaders of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria and Political Awareness Group have resolved to back the nomination of Professor Olaiya Abideen for ministerial appointment under the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The resolution was reached after an emergency meeting held at Ibadan on Sunday July 30, 2023.

This was disclosed in statement released after the meeting.

The statement was signed by Sheikh Abdur-rasheed Hadiyatullah,
President General of Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria; Sheikh Abdur-rasheed Mayaleeke, President General of the Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria; Dr Rasheed Adedeji
For South West Political Awareness Group and Barr Abdulwaheed Olowonjaye.

The statement reads:

“It would be recalled that these organisations rally round Muslims across the country to seek support for Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to clinch his party’s ticket as well as victory at the presidential election when some Christians and the CAN leadership were up against his candidacy and that of his choice Vice presidential candidate— Senator Kashim Shettima.

“The groups were of the firm belief that Prof Olaiya Abideen apart from being a loyal and dedicated member of the party was made to step down for party’s anointed Gubernatorial candidate in 2019 and also national secretary candidate at 2022 national convention without any compensation.

“The Muslim Ummah worked tirelessly to ensure victory for the so called Muslim-Muslim ticket so that Muslims from the South west could be rescued from political domination despite being the majority in South West.

“All the presidents produced from South West since independence have always been Christians with exception of Late Chief MKO whose election was annulled by the military government.

“Prof Olaiya is a good governance advocate and technocrats of repute that adequately fit in to renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and should not be sidelined or sacrificed for political reasons.

“Moreover, Muslims have been underrepresented in most of the earlier cabinet and this should not be allowed to continue under the present dispensation.

“It is our passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that competent and non controversial party loyalists and Muslim personality should be sought after to occupy the remaining slots from South West for equity, justice and eventually peace and good governance of the Country.

“We therefore aligned with other various groups calling for nomination of Professor Olaiya Abideen in the next batch of ministerial nominees having missed out on the first list submitted to the house last Thursday.”

PROF OLAIYA DESERVES A PLACE IN TINUBU’S CABINET OF GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL COMPETENCE

In the run-up to the 2023 elections, various groups strategized to ensure the success of their candidates.

Success required a multi-dimensional approach. To say the presidential election was a difficult task is an understatement.

It was an extremely difficult trip navigated to success. The election was so hot that Lagos Boys could not even win Lagos for PBAT.

In Oyo state, the journey to Asọ Rock started even before the primaries.

Olaiya team up with prominent individuals and support groups using his time and resources moving from one state to another, from one media house to another canvassing support for the candidacy of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu especially from various circles and cycle of influence even when some forces were evidently romancing one candidate in the afternoon and another in the night.

The unfolding scenario with respect to the selection of ministerial nominees seems shocking especially those from the south west.

Various APC groups in south west have expressed similar opinions. Allowing feelings of this nature to fester is dangerous.

While we fully support using criteria like competence, experience and level of exposure in the choice of would-be ministers, it is incumbent upon political party’s leadership to look closely to its reward system so as to encourage professionals/technocrats who stood in thick and thin, with the party not only the later days moneybags.

This can be seen as a reward for synergistic values of competence and loyalty.

Nothing beyond this portrays the presidency is good light. We are equally aware of the crowding and fencing around the Presidents that often takes place at this critical period of selection.

This usually prevents many eminently qualified personalities from being seen nor heard.

The Patriots Advocacy for Good governance and leadership (PAG) therefore has a moral responsibility to point this to the attention of President Tinubu to an individual that exhibits the qualities we enumerated earlier, i e; combines competence with party loyalty and discipline.

He is Professor Abideen Olaiya. We recall that in 2019, the President was instrumental to his stepping down with his late boss Chief Christopher Akala for the current ministerial nominee, Chief Adelabu when he contested for governorship position. As an internationally renown university professor of agriculture who has field experience in teaching and research, Professor Olaiya again acceded to the elders to step down for Chief Omisore during the party’s election of national officers at Eagle Square, Abuja in 2022, even the promise to refund the millions form fee was not fulfilled till date.

His choice will give Oyo state the much deserved second ministerial slot. This is a state that gave President Tinubu the highest vote margin in the whole of South West.

We have no reservations in strongly recommending this distinguished Professor to Mr President.