By Adeola Badru

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights organisation, has declared its rejection of the candidate reportedly endorsed by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, as his preferred successor in the 2027 governorship race.

The group alleged that Governor Makinde is “playing a religious script” aimed at sidelining Muslims in the state, insisting that attempts to install a Christian successor after Makinde, who is also a Christian and would have completed eight years in office, amount to continued religious imbalance in governance.

Governor Makinde is understood to have recently backed Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi as his preferred successor, who is likewise a Christian.

In a statement released yesterday and signed by MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organisation accused the governor of skewing benefits in the state towards Christians while alleging that Muslims have been left impoverished.

“It is turn by turn”, adding, “Seyi Makinde, a Christian governor, has spent eight years in office. He has no right to anoint another Christian as his successor. Christian monopoly of governance must be stopped in Yorubaland.“

“We have a convention. If a Muslim spends eight years in office, a Christian should succeed him. It is so vice versa. Why does Makinde want to change that unwritten protocol? It is the turn of the Muslims. Makinde should not ignite a religious crisis in Oyo State.“

“We charge Muslim leaders in the state to resist this imposition with every legitimate means at their disposal. Muslims have the population.“

“They pay the highest tax. But Makinde has turned them into 3rd class citizens. Why should Muslims hold the horns of the cow while the Christians milk it?“

He further added: “If Makinde thinks Muslims in the state have forgotten his anti-Muslim antics, then he has got another thing coming.“

“The list of his atrocities against Muslims is longer than the Nile. But we will not mention them now. They will remain in the cooler until he starts seeking Muslim votes for his presidential joke.“

The statement also referenced the broader political landscape in the South West, where all six governors are Christians, arguing that this pattern was unacceptable.

“The political situation in the South West whereby all the six governors are Christians does not even allow such nonchalance on the part of Muslims and their leaders in Oyo State. That was why we asked political parties in the region to pick Muslims as their gubernatorial candidates.“

MURIC, however, called for what it described as fairness in political representation, noting, “Real Muslims know what to do without being told. It is an existential matter this time around.“

“Why should all the governors in the South West be Christians when Muslims are the majority? All six, not two, not three. Haba! Why should the Christians take every state? Sharing is caring. We reject ‘winner-takes-all’ mentality”, MURIC said in the statement.