By Emmanuel Aziken

Controversy is brewing among the Muslim Ummah in the Southwest following a division in its ranks over alleged political approaches from President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo.

While a section of Islamic leaders have decided to boycott today’s meeting of Southwest Islamic leaders with the vice president in Akure, Ondo State, a leading official of the League of Imams and Alfas was, however, actively mobilising others to ignore the boycott.

The threatened boycott, it was learnt, was upon a resolution of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, that Islamic leaders should avoid meetings with political leaders ahead of the elections.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State chapter of the Muslim community of Oyo State, MUSCOYS, yesterday, dissociated itself from today’s scheduled meeting in Akure.

The decision of the Islamic leaders to boycott the meetings with the president and his vice-president was reportedly predicated on controversies that followed alleged bribes to some other religious bodies recently.

Among those who have decided to boycott today’s scheduled meeting with Sambo in Akure is the leadership of the League of Imams and Alfas in the Southwest, Edo and Delta States.
Despite the boycott, a prominent official of the league, it was learnt, was last night still mobilising colleagues and other senior Islamic clerics for today’s meeting.