A war of words has erupted between Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
Olayinka has urged Akintola to limit himself to preaching and desist from promoting religious discord among Nigerians.
The spat began when Akintola commented on the suspension of Engr. Shehu Ahmad Hadi, Executive Director of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
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Olayinka countered that the Minister is not running the FCT Administration based on religion, emphasizing that Hadi’s suspension should not be framed as a religious issue.
“The suspended FCTA Executive Secretary was not appointed as a Muslim, and anyone trying to cover his suspension with the garment of religion will be doing a disservice to religious harmony in the country,” Olayinka said.
He also pointed out that the position of the FCDA Executive Secretary is not a family chieftaincy title, and the business of the office is running smoothly despite Hadi’s suspension.
Olayinka further called on Akintola to recall Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) teachings on obedience to authorities, quoting a hadith that emphasizes the importance of listening to and obeying rulers in all circumstances.
“If Prof. Akintola is aware of this and has imbibed it, he will simply counsel the suspended FCTA Executive Secretary to accept his fate as a Muslim, rather than sponsoring media attacks against the Minister and fanning the embers of religious discord,”
“If Prof. Akintola is aware of this and has imbibed it, he will simply counsel the suspended FCTA Executive Secretary to accept his fate as a Muslim, rather than this seeming sponsorship of media attacks against the Minister and fanning the embers of religious discord,”Olayinka concluded.