By Ismail Auwal
The Islamic group Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has warned political parties against picking any member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) as their presidential candidate in 2023.
The group warned that Muslims and other Christian denominations must work together to ensure their survival before the RCCG tsunami destroys them.
The RCCG, headed by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, had early created the Office of Directorate of Politics and Governance to engage members willing to be involved in politics and “mobilise support for them when required”.
The announcement led to speculations that the Church is gearing to mobilise support for the alleged Presidential ambition of Osinbajo who is one of its pastors.
Although Osinbajo has not openly declared his interest in the 2023 presidential race, different groups have been soliciting Nigerians’ support for the vice-president.
Barrister Idrees Gambo, Bauchi State Chairman of MURIC in a statement said any political party that picked any Redeemer as its presidential candidate should “kiss the Aso Rock goodbye.”
He said, “Since the Redeemed Church of Christ Group (RCCG) has the effrontery to launch a national political structure, the rest of us have no option but to challenge this existential threat.
“We must work towards our survival before the RCCG tsunami threat sweeps Islam and other Christian denominations out of existence.”
“It is very clear that the plan of our Redeemer friends is to eliminate other religions or turn their faithful into political slaves.”
The group claimed that the political and economic marginalization of Muslims in Yorubaland would worsen if the RCCG took over power in Aso Rock or any other state in the manner they are currently doing.
“We in the North have been watching this ugly development with keen interest.”
The Islamic group said it is unimaginable to expect the emergence of RCCG candidates as winners in the Northern states.
It added that it will ensure that RCCG did not win election now or any time in the future.
“We are not unaware of the ‘winner-takes-all’ mentality of the RCCG but Northern Muslims will never expose their land to such obnoxious cultural invasion, as what we want is a society where everyone is treated equally.”
MURIC said that the RCCG declaration of a directorate of political affairs has destroyed any goodwill Christian politicians enjoy here in the North.
” It is so bad that any Muslim who queues behind a redeemer is now considered a traitor to the cause of Islam and this is not what we want at this critical point in our nation.”
Gambo added, “Although MURIC will not support any political party against another during the coming general election, we warn Islamic organizations and Muslim communities against hobnobbing with any RCCG candidate, whether presidential or gubernatorial.
“While our interest lies in credible candidates who are most likely to benefit their states or the country as a whole, we frown upon attempts by the RCCG to turn the whole country into Redeemers territory. It had better not be. The RCCG plot is dangerous, provocative and contemptuous. Our warning to all political parties is: pick redeemer candidate, kiss Aso Rock goodbye.”
