By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Apex pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) as well as Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) yesterday joined the growing ranks of bodies that have given their voices to the criticism of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, by controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, over comments on the status of the nation’s capital and call for sack.
In a statement yesterday, Ohanaeze’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, vehemently condemned Gumi’s attack on Wike and Christians, as well as the inflammatory statements made by Islamic cleric that are considered baseless and dangerous to the unity and stability of the nation.
Ohanaeze described Gumi as a well-known associate of bandits and said the cleric “has once again demonstrated his cowardice by attacking Minister Nyesom Wike’s intentions to invite Israel to handle the security challenges in Abuja.
“His desperate attempt to prevent the unveiling of the true source of insecurity in Abuja and the Northern states reeks of fear toward the Federal Government and its representatives.”
It added that Gumi’s threat against President Bola Tinubu to remove Wike as a minister “is nothing short of laughable and serves as a clear indication that Israeli intelligence will expose those who are covertly promoting violence and terrorism in Abuja and the North”.
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Ohanaeze also stated that Gumi’s outrageous labelling of Wike as ‘satanic and devilish’ for his tireless efforts to bring an end to the insecurity challenges “demonstrates that Sheikh Gumi should be regarded as an enemy of the state.
“Such derogatory remarks aimed at discrediting a dedicated public servant who is resolute in his commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Nigerians cannot be tolerated.”
According to Isiguzoro, Gumi’s audacious statement calling for Christians not to be entrusted with security matters is a dangerous declaration of religious war against Christians.
“We categorically denounce this divisive rhetoric, as it undermines the principles of religious freedom and inclusivity that our great nation stands for. Nigeria is a multicultural society where every citizen, regardless of their religious affiliation, deserves equal rights and opportunities.
“We take this opportunity to applaud President Bola Tinubu for his courageous appointment of a Southerner and Christian, Nyesom Wike, as the FCT Minister. Minister Wike is a national asset and a strong pillar of this administration, whose commitment to the welfare of Nigerians is evident in his exemplary track record.”
Further, Ohanaeze called on the relevant authorities to take immediate action against Gumi for his treasonous offences.
It added, “We demand his arrest and prosecution, as his provocative statements pose a grave threat to national security and social cohesion. Nigeria cannot afford to condone or tolerate individuals who incite violence and perpetuate hatred in our society.
“In conclusion, we firmly believe that President Bola Tinubu will secure victory in future elections with the support of leaders like Nyesom Wike. Their collaboration represents the unity and progress that Nigeria needs to overcome its challenges and build a prosperous future for all its citizens
On its part, the MBF, also in a statement, said its attention had been drawn to a trending video clip by the Kaduna-based cleric “noted for making a case for killer herdsmen across the country and negotiating payment of ransom for the release of kidnapped victims.”
It added, “We would have ignored Gumi’s outburst but for the following cancerous interpretations deducible from the said video clips from other clerics also rendered in Hausa that it is wrong for a Christian infidel (arne) to be appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT);
“That the FCT belongs to the North, therefore, the ministerial slot should be the exclusive preserve of the Muslim North; and that Muslims should not be comfortable with non-Muslims appointed to head the security agencies as they can’t be trusted to be fair to all groups.
The statement signed by NBF’s National President, Pogu Bitrus, noted that several other Muslim clerics had followed Gumi “in spreading this vulgarity”.
The forum added, “For purposes of clarity, the Middle Belt Forum, an organisation comprising the ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt region that stretches across the middle section of Nigeria, wishes to categorically state that the FCT is a part of the Middle Belt.
“Also, the Middle Belt Forum serves the peoples of the Middle Belt who are multi-religious (Christian, Muslim, and Traditional worshipers) living peacefully together. The FCT was originally inhabited by the Gbagyi people who were dislodged from their ancestral lands by the Nigerian state to create the Federal Capital Territory that Gumi and his gang are now laying claim to.
“Gumi’s vulgarity is not just insulting the sensibilities of Nigerians, but a further display of the despicable arrogance associated with Gumi’s Fulani stock who have used state power to capture, manipulate, and enthrone themselves over Nigeria and its resources.
“We repeat that history is unequivocal that at no time were the Fulani aborigines (original inhabitants) of the FCT. This is documented and established by all verified Historical narrations.
“The list of the ethnic configuration of the FCT in all known literature does not include the Fulani as indigenous to the FCT. Thus, the current noise by Gumi and his co-travellers is a failed attempt to stand history on its head.
“As a Forum, we unambiguously condemn the messages contained in these trending video clips calling for the sack of Barr Nyesom Wike as the FCT Minister on account of his faith or where he hails from.
“That such calls are coming from Islamic preachers is unfortunate and reflective of a nebulous and subtle agenda aimed at enthroning a State Religion in Nigeria. God forbid! President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should not allow these religiously inflamed remarks by these preachers to go un-probed.
“Considering the roles Gumi in promoting negotiation with agents of banditry and insurgency, he should be quickly reined in to checkmate his evil and capricious activities.
Meanwhile, reactions have been trailing the radical cleric known for hair-raising outbursts.
Elsewhere, a member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, cautioned Kaduna-based Sheikh, over his call to President Tinubu to remove the FCT minister from office.
Ugochinyere, who is the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), frowned on what he called a message of hate, saying that Wike did nothing to warrant such utterances from Gumi.
Also commenting, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, has called on Nigerians to rally behind Wike, in his drive to restore the Abuja master plan and instil discipline in urban development.
Nwuche, who made the call in a statement, also commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing Wike to restructure the FCT.
He wondered where those bitterly condemned were during the past administration where the ministers of FCT did practically nothing but occupy space and allow the capital city to fall apart.
Some Nigerians have also taken to their social media pages to react to the allegation made against Wike by Gumi.
Many have criticised the controversial cleric for implying that the FCT is a Muslim state and advocating for the dismissal of its minister.
A celebrity user, FS Yusuf wrote, “I think there is a concerted campaign from the North agitating that Wike be removed as FCT Minister, claiming the FCT belongs to the Muslims and as such the FCT Minister should be a Muslim.
“Every political disagreement aside, I’m standing on this issue and asking that it should never happen! If they can’t have Wike as FCT minister, they should go and hug the transformer.”
Also, there was a comment on @escapefromnaija, “Abuja has citizens; these people talking and vituperating are neither indigenes of Abuja nor protecting their interests. They want to annex Abuja as they have done in Nasarawa ”.
For Uzoma@henrie089, it’s a case of “lol – what they cannot perceive in what they will force down the throat of others (Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket). Who made a Federal Capital in a Muslim territory?”
