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Christian Rights of Nigeria (CRN) has accused the Lagos state house of assembly of rejecting commissioner nominees on religious grounds.
On Wednesday, the Lagos assembly declined to confirm 17 out of 39 commissioner nominees recommended by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state.
Six former commissioners who served in the first term of Sanwo-Olu are among the 17 nominees not cleared by the assembly.
The former commissioners are Gbenga Omotoso (information and strategy); Akin Abayomi (health); Cecilia Dada (Women affairs and poverty alleviation); Olalere Odusote (energy resources); Folashade Adefisayo (education) and Sam Egube (economic planning and budget).
In a statement on Thursday by Eliashib James, CRN national lead, the group said the rejection of the nominees was a move to “stoke religious tensions” in the state.
The group claimed that the decision of the Lagos assembly was motivated by the comment of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on the nomination of commissioner nominees.
The group said the leadership positions in the state are dominated by Muslims, adding that “Christians never raised eyebrow”.
“We have watched in utter amazement the unfolding drama at the Lagos state house of assembly where surreptitious moves are being made by the House
leadership to stoke religious tension in Lagos state,” the statement reads.
“Egged on by a right-wing extremist religious group known as Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) of one prof. Ishaq Akintola, the house of assembly has manifested this by its rejection of a number of commissioner nominees in the state.
“We state without any equivocation that this is pure religious blackmail as contrary to the propaganda of MURIC, which the house of assembly latched on, there are more Muslims in the government of Lagos than Christians.
“So why is the Lagos state house of assembly stoking religious tension by rejecting many Commissioner nominees on religious grounds, deceptively couched for the public as insufficient documentation?”
In July, MURIC accused Sanwo-Olu of “marginalising” Muslims in the state.
The group said Sanwo-Olu’s list of commissioner nominees comprises only eight Muslims.
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