MURIC demands impeachment of state governors who permitted congregational Sallah prayers despite warnings from FG

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the impeachment of some state governors who went ahead to conduct congregational Sallah prayers on Sunday May 23 despite the Federal government’s warning against such practice.

Recall that the Federal government last week, made several appeals to state governors not to approve congregational prayers for the Eid celebration in their states so as to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

However, over the weekend, states like Kano, Borno, and some others, went ahead to hold congregational prayers to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast.

MURIC in a statement signed by its director, Ishaq Akintola, has called for punitive measures to be taken against Governors of those states.

The Muslim group argued that if Christians could celebrate Easter without any fanfare due to the Coronavirus pandemic, why can’t Muslims do the same since the pandemic is still being fought in the country.

MURIC called on state Houses of Assemblies where the congregational prayers were held, to begin impeachment proceedings against the ”erring governors.

Read the statement below

“We are deeply perturbed by the action of some Northern state governors who goaded Muslims in their states to congregate for the Id al-fitr prayer on Sunday 24th May, 2020 in spite of directives to the contrary from the FG, JNI and NSCIA. It is an act of gross irresponsibility. It is a shame that governors can play to the gallery even when it has to do with human life. This is not Islam. It is articulated religiousity.

“There must be consequences when people in position of authority gamble with the lives of their citizens. This singular action has put the whole country in danger and we only have to wait for the next two weeks as the virus incubates for us to know the impact of the governors’ intransigence. This is how not to worship Allah.

“Neither is it about the right to celebrate a festival. MURIC as a human rights body will not defend the indefensible. Islam is a religion of justice. Therefore we will not bend the rules or change the goal post after the game has already started just because Muslim governors are involved this time around. The fact that we vowed to promote Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims does not mean that we would look away when Muslims do the wrong thing. Afterall we were all here when Christians marked Easter without fanfare, pomp and pageantry. So why can’t we as Muslims control ourselves?

“Every Nigerian Muslim must take responsibility for this. These recalcitrant governors have embarrassed Islamdom. We must admit our wrong particularly because what we did is capable of bringing untold hardship upon the whole country. The next two weeks will tell. But to start with, we must show remorse and apologise to fellow Nigerians for exposing the country to danger.

“It is on this note that we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) tender unreserved apology, first to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Government and all law-abiding citizens in the country. If we have always been quick to confront those who maltreat Muslims, we must not be silent when the Muslims themselves wrongly defy the rest of Nigerians and embark on actions capable of causing mass death among innocent Nigerians.

“We must speak truth to power because truth is sacrosanct. The governors simply went on a show of shame. It is disgraceful. It is a huge blunder. When did Nigerian Muslims become more Muslim than their Makkan counterparts? Why must we assemble for Id prayer in Nigeria when Muslims in all Arab countries prayed at home? Muslims in Senegal, Gambia, Ghana and other West African countries prayed at home.

“President Muhammadu Buhari must not allow these erring governors to go scot free. They must be sanctioned. FG must speak up. The action of these recalcitrant governors must be condemned in unmistakenly strong terms. Thereafter, Mr. President must design suitable punishments that will touch only the office and personality of the governors without necessarily affecting the gullible and misled citizens in the state. Those who fail to take responsibility have no cassu belli for occupying the government house.

“We have not seen the end of this incident if we have conscious lawmakers in the state assemblies. Any lawmaker worth his salt will know that the action of the erring governors stand in contra-distinction to the provisions of Article 14 Section 2(b) of the1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which stipulates that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“In essence, the governors have committed impeachable offences. We therefore call on the state legislators to do the needful. We do not want governors who do not care about human life. The choice before the governors is this: apologise publicly or resign and pack out of government house, otherwise your impeachment is just around the corner.”