By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

OSOGBO – A Muslim group, Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas in Osun State has berated the League of Imams and Alfas in the State over its partisan role in the ongoing local government council crisis in the state.

The League, under the leadership of the Chief of Imam in Osogbo, Sheikh Musa Animasahun had urged the Federal Government to release the withheld council funds to the PDP elected Chairmen, describing them as the legally recognised officials.

However, addressing journalists at the NUJ press center in Osogbo on Tuesday, the group’s President, Khozeem AbdurRaham, berated the League of Imams for taking sides in an issue that concerned the generality of Muslims across political divide.

He also described as unfortunate the decision of the clerics to abandon their spiritual responsibilities to act as political mouthpieces for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

According to him, it is highly surprising that the League of Imams and Alfas who presented themselves to the public as speaking for the Muslim Ummah could jettison the Islamic brotherhood by turning themselves into a religious mouthpiece of the Governor Ademola Adeleke led-Peoples Democratic Party at the detriment of interests of other Muslims in various political parties.

“How could one reasonably comprehend the call of the League of Imams and Alfas directing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to release the Local Government Allocations to the PDP-led Governor Ademola administration in Osun State against all the laws of the land as pronounced by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July, 2024.

“Obviously, the League of Imams and Alfas must not claim to be oblivious of illegality involved in such a calling because the Supreme Court in AGF v. AG Abia granted financial autonomy to the Local Government in Nigeria in July 2024. The Alfas should not be seen forming part of the efforts of the Governor Ademola Adeleke’s desperation to still illegally collect the allocations.”

While commending Osun residents for refusing to be swayed by what it called “government-sponsored lies,” the group praised President Tinubu for standing firm on the rule of law and ignoring alleged pressure from lobbyists and partisan clerics.

“Federal Government under the headship of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
GCFR deserves a good commendation having chosen to tow the path of peace, law and order and jettisoned bullies of the PDP and the state government parroted by the uninformed association, lobbyists, clerics and others over the allocations which were never at any point withheld,” he added