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MURIC slams Cardinal Onaiyekan over 2023 presidential election

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2023

Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on Thursday criticised the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, for describing the victory of President-Elect in the 2023 election, Bola Tinubu, as ‘discredited’.

MURIC’s reaction was contained in a statement sent to POLITICS NIGERIA by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

Onaiyekan had labelled the outcome of the 2023 election as “tragically questionable results”.

But reacting, MURIC described the Cardinal’s ‘outburst’ as jaundiced and disappointing.

MURIC’s statement reads: “The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese, Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has described the victory of President-Elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, as ‘discredited’. Onaiyekan was quoted as saying, ‘I love peace but will never endorse Tinubu’s discredited victory to pacify Nigerians’

“We are miffed by Cardinal Onaiyekan’s outburst. It is jaundiced and disappointing. It is integrity-bruising. He had hitherto occupied a lofty position of veneration in Muslim circles. He was believed to be the epitome of moderation and the embodiment of tolerance and fairness. His figure towered above gymnastic religiousity. But he has now disappointed his Muslim admirers.

“America, Britain, China, India, African countries and others have congratulated the winner but Onaiyekan still considers the victory ‘discredited’. It is astonishing that a man whom the Muslims used to consider as the only objective Christian leader who is far from the tramadolised crowd has let them down.

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“Onaiyekan should have advised opposition candidates among the winners of Senate and House of Representatives elections who trooped out to collect their return certificates on Tuesday and Wednesday to boycott the event. Or is it Tinubu’s victory alone that was ‘discredited’?

“Leaders must choose their words very carefully. Whoever wants to be judgemental must not be selective. Those who come to equity must come with clean hands. How can the election be ‘discredited’ for Tinubu as a winner but ‘credible’ for winners among members of the opposition?

“Better still, the Cardinal should have told the opposition, particularly his anointed candidate, to boycott the election ab initio. Cardinal Onaiyekan is crying over spilt milk. It is useless locking the gate after the horse has bolted. All the political parties that participated in the election are already involved.

“We do not expect a leader of Onaiyekan’s status to manifest bitterness while licking his wounds. Nigerians understand what happened. Without conducting a census based on creed, the cardinal had shared the delusional belief that Christians outnumber Muslims in Nigeria. Of course he learned the hard way.

“It was on that basis that he encouraged the brazen confrontation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. There is bound to be shock and aftershock after a political tsunami.

“It is our considered opinion that Cardinal Onaiyekan’s statement is designed to massage the ego of Christian leaders with all their false soothsayers. Instead of dissipating his energy on denying the reality, we actually expected Onaiyekan to identify and assemble those who misled Nigerian Christians with their false predictions and ridiculous prognostications for some home truths.

“Apart from those who foresaw victory for opposition figures, a pastor told Nigerians that there would be no election at all in 2023. He said it was God who told him. We know his name. We have the evidence. We kept quiet at the time because we knew that he was only discrediting himself.

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“It was these false prophesies that filled many Nigerian Christians (not all) with false hope which eventually led to frustration. These are the people Onaiyekan should be tutoring at this stage. He should be speaking against Christian entitlement mentality in Nigeria. He should invite those who gave false predictions for counselling on how not to lie against God.

“Jeremiah 14:14 said, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.’

“This is from the same Bible to which all Nigerians have access. Why are our prophesy-addicted pastors determined to challenge what God says in the Bible and why have Christian leaders like Cardinal Onaiyekan refused to call them to order? We did not expect the much respected cardinal to tow the path of those suffering from intellectual poverty.

“MURIC appreciates many other Christians who are not swayed by emotions and false predictions. They are pragmatists and they know what actually happened. The Christian candidate was only acceptable in the South East, South South and some parts of North Central.

“Besides, challenging the North over the majority status question was a fatal mistake. Junketing from one church to another while ignoring the mosque was politically naive. But the electoral suicidal statement was asking the church to ‘take back your country’.

“We are surprised that Onaiyekan left pastors who are misleading Nigerians with false predictions and started blaming the Muslim candidate whose Imams never prophesy. Or has Onaiyekan ever seen or heard of an Islamic scholar prophesying? He is idolizing fiction and demonising reality. Who did this to Nigeria?

“Instead of acknowledging Tinubu’s superior political strategy as exhibited in his choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket and instead of putting his house in order and de-escalating tension, Onaiyekan ignored the spiritual decay in Christendom to demarket a well-deserved victory won by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are constrained to ask, et tu Onaiyekan?”

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CBN fines any bank N150m hoarding cash

Published

30 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

CBN fines any bank N150m hoarding cash

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.

Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.

A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices. “The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.

To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.

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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.

“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country. Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.

“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.

CBN fines any bank N150m hoarding cash

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Three days to Christmas, food prices, transport fares hit the roof

Published

46 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Three days to Christmas, food prices, transport fares hit the roof

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ,UDHR, Article 25(1), everyone has the right to standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, which includes access to food, clothing, and housing.

Similarly, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ,ICESCR, Article 11 emphasizes the right to an adequate standard of living, including sufficient food.

Furthermore, the Covenant recognizes the fundamental right to be free from hunger and advocates for measures both individual and international to eliminate hunger.

It is widely acknowledged that inadequate food availability can lead to health issues, as food is as essential to health as air is to breathing.

The situation is exacerbated by the rising costs of healthcare, which are increasingly out of reach for many due to ongoing inflation.

Difficult situations

In Nigeria, harsh economic conditions are forcing households into difficult situations, with many going to bed hungry due to skyrocketing food prices. With Christmas just three days away, our correspondents visited local food markets in Lagos and Abuja to see how citizens are coping with the rising cost of goods and services.

In the locations, buyers and sellers expressed their frustrations over the increasing prices of food items.

At Agric Market in Ikorodu, Mummy Somto, lamented that she had never witnessed such high prices in her lifetime.

She noted that a chicken that cost N15,000 last year now sells for N35,000, with only older layers available for N15,000.

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“What will that do for my family? We have never seen it like this in Nigeria. I hope this hope is the hope,” she said.

At Mile 12 International Market, trucks filled with perishable goods such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, cabbages, and other vegetables were lined up for unloading while eager buyers waited nearby.

When asked about the high prices despite the abundance of food, truck owner Alhaji Shehu, explained that the situation arose from expenses related to diesel, farm security, police and military checkpoints before reaching Lagos.

He mentioned spending between N500,000 and N800,000 per truck, which inevitably raises prices.
“This is our business, and we are not pleased with the high costs either. If I sell my goods, I still need to buy what I don’t sell. It’s suffocating us. I also commend the buyers,” Shehu added.

Bags of rice

Mrs. Bukky Osagie, a rice vendor at Mike 12, shared her concerns about escalating prices: “Last December, a bag of rice was between N65,000 and N70,000. Today, it’s from N95,000 depending on the brand. Traders are exhausted. People are buying half bags because they can’t afford full ones. They also need to buy additional items. How do people survive this trend? This has to stop if the government truly cares for its citizens.”

At Daleko Market, Mrs. Hannah, was seen pricing vegetable oil when she declared, “Whether the devil likes it or not, we will celebrate with our families and share love during this season. We will just have to adjust our spending according to our means.”

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As of the time of filing this report, a 25-liter container of vegetable oil was selling for between N86,000 and N95,000 depending on the brand.

Garri was priced at N56,000, while Ijebu Gaari was N58,000.

A carton of satchel tomatoes ranged from N8,800 to N9,200 while a pack of spaghetti cost N23,000.
70 grams of noodles were priced between N9,800 and N10,500. A roll of curry or thyme sold for N550 each, while small bulbs of onion reached as high as N200, making them almost unaffordable for many.

Christmas cheer

In Abuja, soaring food prices and steep transportation costs are casting a shadow over Christmas celebrations for many families.

The cost of essential holiday items, such as poultry, has surged, with chickens priced between ¦ 15,000 and ¦ 25,000, and turkeys reaching up to ¦ 130,000 in some markets.

Sunday Vanguard learned that rising feed prices, transportation costs, and supply chain disruptions are driving these increases.

Additionally, a 50-kg bag of rice now costs between ¦ 94,000 and ¦ 125,000, a significant leap from previous months.

Transportation fares have also skyrocketed, with transport fare from Abuja to major cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Enugu increasing from 15 percent to 35 percent in the past month.

For instance, a trip from Abuja to Lagos by road, which previously cost ¦ 28,000–¦ 35,000, now ranges between ¦ 46,500 and ¦ 60,000.

Three days to Christmas, food prices, transport fares hit the roof

VANGUARD

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Three Ogun varsity students die auto crash

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Ogun State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola

Three Ogun varsity students die auto crash

The Police Command in Ogun State has confirmed the death of three university students in a single-vehicle accident on the Ilisan-Ago-Iwoye Road.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, revealed that the victims were suspected to be students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

The incident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, involved an Opel car with registration number AAA-126 HE. The vehicle was reportedly driven by Adekunle Adebiyi, a resident of 5 Sunmibare Street, Awa Ijebu.

“The accident was caused by overspeeding, leading to the driver losing control and the vehicle flipping into the bush,” Odutola explained.

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She further disclosed that one male passenger, whose identity is yet to be confirmed but is believed to be an OOU student, died on the spot. His body was taken to the mortuary at General Hospital, Ijebu Ode.

“Two female students from Olabisi Onabanjo University — Dada Oluwanifesimi, 18, and Miracle Daniel, 19 — were rushed to Love and Care Hospital but sadly passed away while receiving treatment,” she added.

The vehicle involved in the crash has been recovered and is now in police custody.

Odutola assured the public that further updates on the tragic incident would be provided and advised motorists to adhere to traffic regulations, particularly during the festive season.