Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs sets standards for elections

By Chukwudi Nweje

As Nigeria heads to the polls as from February 25,  the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has issued standards that would ensure credible, free, and fair general elections.

It said the electorate must vote for only candidates that would lead with justice, fairness, and righteousness. It also said the Federal Government must not only ensure free, fair, peaceful, and credible polls, but should also evolve a standard process that would ensure the election of only eligible and suitable candidates.

The council made the call in a communique issued after a special extraordinary meeting of the General Purpose Committee (EGPC) in Abuja recently.

NSCIA argued that existing eligibility criterion was too general for electing the country’s leaders.

The communique was co-signed by its Secretary General, Prof Is-haq  Oloyede and Director of Administration, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu.

It read: “Nigerians should freely choose the best candidates and vote those who will lead with justice, fairness, and righteousness in line with our usual prayer, ‘O Allah, make the best of us our leaders, and don’t make the worst of us our leaders. Don’t make us, on account of our sins, be under those who will neither fear you nor be compassionate to us.

“The Federal Government should ensure free, fair, peaceful, and credible general elections by providing the necessary environment through adequate voter mobilisation and appropriate security measures.

“There is also the need to evolve a standard process of electing not only eligible candidates but also suitable ones because the eligibility criteria are too general because it leads to the election of unsuitable people to positions of authority. There is an urgent need to raise the bar of leadership in Nigeria beyond basic qualifications.”

The Islamic council condemned the activities of those it called ‘accidental Imams and emergency Sheikhs’ and warned Muslims to be wary of the antics of clerics who promote hatred, disunity, and dissension, as they do not represent Islam or Muslims.