A Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Ahmad Gumi, has said he has
no sympathy for any political party in Nigeria.
He also said he stands by his call on President Muhammadu Buhari
to resign due to alleged failure of his government.
Mr Gumi, a very influential Islamic cleric, particularly in
Northern Nigeria, stated this at the closing of Ramadan Lecture for 2018 at
Shaikh Sanusi Khalil Mosque at Rigachikun, Kaduna on Thursday.
He was reacting to rumours in the state that he was critical of
the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of his sympathy
for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The rumours arose from a picture of him with two PDP leaders and
strident criticism of the administration of President Buhari.
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But the cleric on Thursday said his criticisms are based on his quest for justice in Nigeria.
But the cleric on Thursday said his criticisms are based on his quest for justice in Nigeria.
On the picture of him sitting between former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State governor, Ramalan Yero, the cleric said
the shot was taken at a public event long ago.
“There was a picture that was snapped at a mosque in Rigachikun.
When I was invited to attend a wedding fatiha, on arrival I met him (Mr
Yero) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, at the mosque.
“Then he (Atiku) was still in APC as a member and contested against
President Buhari at the primaries, while Yero was then in PDP as a governor in
the state.
“I was asked to sit in their middle so I did. Now the picture is
in circulation that I am a PDP member, that PDP paid me to work for them.”
Mr Gumi said he does not look at any Muslim as a PDP or APC
member.
“Rather, I see him as a Muslim brother. If he does justice I’m
with him whoever he is.”
Ahmad Abubakar Gumi.
[Photo credit: Fresh News in Nigeria & Breaking News]
He said Nigerians should not discriminate among themselves on
the basis of politics.“Anything that we know will bring misunderstanding among us as
Muslims we must try to do away with it,” he said.
Mr Gumi recently came under criticism by loyalists of President
Buhari and APC in the state for speaking against the anti-corruption fight in
the country.
He had accused Mr Buhari as prone to mistakes and falling to
render good governance, asking the president to resign.
In his regular Ramadan Tafsir on June 9, the cleric said he
would not stop pointing fingers at President Buhari’s mistakes, saying his
government was a “total failure.”
He recalled also criticising the government of former President
Goodluck Jonathan and asking the president to resign or be impeached.
“Nigeria’s newspaper carried a headline in 2012, when I said
Jonathan has failed Nigerians and should resign. So I also find it a duty upon
me to tell this government the truth, that it is full of mistakes, or else I
become a hypocrite.
“Why I blamed Jonathan was because of blood in his hands because
Boko Haram were putting bombs everywhere and the government was not doing
enough.
“Anybody killed under your regime, you are responsible for that
blood. If you have done your best, I can say yes, Allah can forgive you. But if
you are relaxed, no; Allah will not forgive you. So it is the same thing now.
“The bloodshed now is more than during Jonathan’s regime. So now
you judge yourselves to be fair. Our religion is a religion of fairness.
“Now more blood is shed from negligence, from sleeping, from
laziness, from I-dont-care,” he said.
“If I am true to myself, as I called for the resignation of
Jonathan, I should call for the resignation of President Buhari, and with
immediate effect! And government paper should carry it also, if there is
truth.”
The cleric insisted Mr Buhari’s style of leadership is full of
errors.
“Buhari is full of
mistakes. Full of mistakes! He is a human being like anybody. And I swear to
God that there are many people here in the North that can perform better than
him.”
PT
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