22nd November, 2013
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Move over Boko Haram. A new bugaboo has seized Nigeria’s landscape, with its attendant fear and anxiety. The demon is known as election.
A Muslim cleric,who is also the Chief Imam of the Ogun State Secretariat Mosque, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta, Sheik (Imam) Alh.Taofeek Ashiru says the election process has become Nigeria’s worst enemy.
He said in the aftermath of the governorship election in Anambra state last week, Nigerians need to embark on prayers in order to overcome this “enemy” ahead of the 2015 general elections.
The Muslim cleric gave this remark at the special Jumat service to commemorate the 2013 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ogun State Council Press week, noting further that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed the nation with the conduct of the election in State.
According to the clergyman, “from what happened in Anambra last week, you can see that Nigeria’s worst enemy now is the election. Or how can one described the sham that took place in that state. The INEC had ample time to plan, it was not an emergency election, yet they could not give us free and fair election. I am not happy just like other Nigerians, we have to plan how to overcome this enemy called election as the 2015 general elections is fast approaching”, he submitted.
He also cautioned Nigerians over drifting away from the unity of the country, saying, “as it is now, we are rather getting disunited over the state of the nation, rather than getting united. Because you begin to wonder, where we are going; the President is on admission in London now, the government is saying he is just down, the PDP (let me caution
myself so that they will not say I said the party is divided) but, we all see what is happening to the ruling party, the Boko Haram is there, there is confusion everywhere.
“Is this not a sign of a country in disunity rather than in unity? We need prayers and this we should continue to do ahead of the National conference, the election and after 2015,” Ashiru counseled.
On the essence of the NUJ Press week, the Chief Imam commended the members of the pen profession in the state, for their steadfastness and dedication, asserting, “we shall continue to pray for you to make it a glorious end for you in this your chosen delicate profession.”
Among those who joined the NUJ for the special jumaat prayer was the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, the NUJ State Chairman, Wole Sokunbi, his Vice, Kunle Olayeni, State Secretary, Soji Amosun and Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Kehinde Akinyemi among other members.