By Haroon Balogun

Muslim leaders and Imams in the South-west recently, shunned an invitation to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan. The meeting which was scheduled to hold pen-ultimate week at Ansarudeen Central Mosque, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos, South-west Nigeria was at the instance of President Jonathan aimed at seeking the support of Muslims in the region in the forthcoming Presidential election.

President Jonathan had earlier visited a number of churches and met Christians leaders for the same purpose.

However, the fall-out of the meeting was the allegation of N7billion gift to some pastors.

The south-west votes are crucial to the victory of both contenders at the March 28 election.

We gathered that the Muslim leaders rejected the invitation because such a meeting with the President could polarise and create disunity among Muslims across geo-political divide.

One of the Imams told Facing the Kaaba that: “that kind of meeting is suspicious after seeing what the N7billion allegation had done to the Christian community. I consider it a bobby trap because whether they collected the money or not, we should not be lured into the same scenario,” he said.

Others argued that since Muslim leaders in the North, especially the Emirs, thought it was inexpedient for a meeting of all Muslim leaders with the President, and turned down the President’s earlier meeting proposed with the entire Muslim leaders in the country, it would be a betrayal for Muslims in the southwest to separately meet Jonathan.

Speaking on the issue, Professor Ishaq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) wondered why it was now that the President, who never sent invitation to meet them before, was now eager to meet Muslims a few weeks to election.

Akintola said President Jonathan has always ignored the plea of Muslims for fairness and justice in appointments to top political positions.

According to him, “President Jonathan neglected and marginalised us in the past. Why is it now that he wants to meet us? If he wants to meet us, he should wait till after the election, not now.”

Facing the Kaaba sought the views of other Muslim leaders on this issue and reports.

Sheikh Suliaman Adangba, a renowned scholar and Chief Missioner Al-Fatiu-l-Qareeb said that we refused to meet with the President because we do not want a situation where people will think we have collected money from the President. The intention of Jonathan is obvious to us. The money he intends to give us after the meeting his not from his pocket but the one meant for the development of the country.

“We will never be used against the interest of our followers. He can never lure or entice us. Also, we have members who belong to different political parties and as leaders, we refused to be used for political interest of one person.

“We had earlier invited the President and other aspirants to discuss their manifestos with us. The President did not show up. Our followers believe in Allah and His messengers. I do not think it is in their interest also to meet with Jonathan. We cannot afford to jeopardise our spiritual relationship an the altar of political expediency. The Prophet said, ‘’Follow me, when you see me following Allah’’ and that has been our message to them. We want him to sincere with us, provide security and better living conditions for all Nigerians.

Also, Sheikh Muyideen Bello, Chairman of all Imams in the Northern States and also Chief Imam of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria said: “In time past, our political leaders have not been doing the right things and so Muslim leaders do not want to be a party to their misdeed. We will never become a tool in the hand of any politician. It is only during campaigns they seem to remember the various religious institutions in the country. We are wiser now. And cannot be bought.”

Alh. Mhikail Shittu, Imam of Ridwanullah Mosque in Ayobo, Lagos said the President remains the head and also a member of every religious institution in the country. Although Qur’an 4vs 59 does not support refusing to meet the President. But we can’t obey the President and disobey Almighty Allah. The President did not go through the right channel. The meeting was midwifed by former Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro which was a wrong medium. Also, we must protect our integrity and not meddle into politics. We have learned from the experience of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. Some leaders eventually met with the President to enrich themselves but does not bother us.

However, Imam Qamardeen Ajala, an Islamic teacher and founder of Markaz Dawah on his part said that Muslims in Nigeria has one body which is the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto. The President should have used that medium to reach us. The Muslim body is a united religious institution. The Northern Muslim leaders refused to have a meeting with the President, so he should have expected the same from the South West leaders. Qur’an 3 vs 103 warns us against disunity. Anybody who visits the President on this account does so on his own and does not respect the Muslim body and Islam.

However, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Akorede, the Chief Imam of Akure was different in his opinion. He stated that the Qur’an enjoins all Muslims to obey Allah, His messengers and those in authority. The President is the head of this country and deserves to be accorded our audience irrespective of what his intention could be. However, some of us were willing to see the President but we have to respect the opinion of our head.