Shari’ah Council expresses displeasure over Tinubu-Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has expressed disappointment over the Muslim-Muslim ticket that brought President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima into office in the 2023 general election.

The council lamented that Muslim communities, especially in Yorubaland, have not benefited as expected from having two Muslims in power, contrary to earlier assumptions.

Speaking at a pre-Ramadan lecture in Kaduna on Tuesday, the President of the SCSN, Sheikh Abdurrasheed Hadiyyatullah, stated that despite the overwhelming support given to the Tinubu-Shettima ticket by Muslims, particularly in the South-West, many still feel politically marginalized.

“We have seen Nigerians vote for leaders of the same Islamic faith into the presidency without turning the country into a perpetual battlefield. However, we have not seen justice and equity extended to all communities, regardless of their faith,” Hadiyyatullah said. He stressed that Muslims in the South-West had high expectations, but their concerns have not been addressed.

“We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the South-West and advise those who seek to divide the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to find other pursuits. The Ummah looks to us for guidance and assurance that their faith will not be sacrificed on the altar of political opportunism and greed. Many Muslims feel betrayed for voting this administration into power.”

Hadiyyatullah also highlighted the council’s efforts in addressing insecurity and ethno-religious crises in the country. He said the SCSN had engaged with major security agencies and intelligence bodies in the past year to tackle these challenges but called on the government to take immediate and decisive action.

Expressing concerns over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions, he described the hardship faced by citizens as “increasingly unbearable.” He noted that the removal of fuel subsidies had worsened the situation, leading to higher costs of food, transportation, and essential goods, making them unaffordable for many Nigerians.

“The depreciation of the naira, high inflation, and stagnant wages have further eroded the purchasing power of citizens. The council has consistently advised the administration to adopt policies that alleviate these hardships. However, it is alarming that, within a short period, the government has introduced multiple new taxes and tariffs, including a 50% increase in telecom tariffs, a 4% FOB charge on imports, a 15% NPA tariff, a 100% hike in ATM charges, and proposed electricity tariff increases.”

He reiterated the council’s commitment to advocating for policies that protect the poor and vulnerable from the harsh economic policies being implemented.

In the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu selected Shettima as his running mate, a decision that sparked controversy within and outside the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Muslim-Muslim ticket was met with resistance from some quarters, even within the ruling party. Before Shettima’s selection, Ibrahim Masari, who had initially been a placeholder for the position, withdrew from the race.

Despite expectations that the Tinubu-Shettima administration would favor the Muslim community, the SCSN now believes that many of its members feel disappointed and neglected by the government’s actions so far.