The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has challenged the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, to go beyond ceremonial gestures and address what it described as longstanding concerns affecting Nigerian Muslims.
Obi had pledged to spend the Sallah holidays with the Sultan of Sokoto if elected president in 2027, a move MURIC said reflected goodwill but did not amount to a commitment to genuine inclusion of Muslims in governance.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said Nigerian Muslims were more interested in concrete measures that would guarantee equal opportunities, civil liberties and participation in governance than political or religious ceremonies.
The group argued that issues including the recognition of the Islamic calendar, Friday worship arrangements, the place of Shariah courts and the accommodation of hijab for Muslim women seeking to join the military required serious attention.
MURIC also criticised what it described as an imbalance in Nigeria’s educational and legal systems, arguing that genuine restructuring must address the concerns of all religious groups and ensure a level playing field.
According to the organisation, successive administrations had failed to adequately respond to what it called the civil liberties concerns of Nigerian Muslims, despite years of advocacy.
MURIC therefore urged Obi to provide clear commitments on how his administration would address the issues, stressing that celebrating Sallah with the Sultan would be largely ceremonial without corresponding policies to improve the welfare and rights of Muslims.
The organisation also called for an end to government sponsorship of pilgrimages, arguing that governments should focus instead on handling protocol-related responsibilities while allowing Muslims to organise their pilgrimage affairs.
MURIC acknowledged Obi’s second presidential bid and said it appreciated his efforts not to be perceived as an exclusively Christian candidate.
It, however, challenged him to clearly state his plan for Nigerian Muslims, declaring that it was prepared to support him if he committed to addressing the group’s demands.
