By Monsurat Abisoye
The Osun State Government has accused the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) of spreading misinformation following allegations by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, that Governor Ademola Adeleke was marginalising Muslims in his administration.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Osogbo, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said Prof. Akintola should be guided by the Qur’an and Hadith in his engagement with the state government, adding that he may have acted on false information or become an “agent of misinformation”.
Alimi insisted that Governor Adeleke remains committed to inclusive governance and maintains cordial relations with adherents of all religions. He said the governor is a strong believer who relates well with people of all faiths, citing the inclusive leadership example of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and noted that qualified Muslims have been appointed into key positions in the administration.
He listed the appointment of Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye as Secretary to the State Government and Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye as Chief of Staff as evidence of inclusivity, adding that several Muslims also serve as spokespersons, commissioners and heads of agencies alongside non-Muslim appointees.
The commissioner further highlighted projects said to benefit the Muslim community, including the commencement of the Osun Hajj Camp and approval of a mosque within the Government House for Muslim staff.
Alimi urged Akintola to verify information before making public statements, citing Qur’an 49:6, and stressed that government performance should be assessed based on measurable indicators such as budget implementation, debt management, healthcare delivery, security, infrastructure and education, rather than identity politics.
He added that MURIC should judge the administration by its record of service to all citizens, irrespective of religion.
The statement also accused Prof. Akintola of disguising political criticism as religious advocacy and challenged him to disclose any partisan affiliation with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Alimi further urged MURIC to condemn reported attacks in Ile-Ife, Akoda, Owode-Ede and Osogbo allegedly carried out by armed individuals in APC-branded campaign vehicles, if it wished to avoid perceptions of bias.
He warned the organisation against what he described as a continued campaign of misinformation against Governor Adeleke’s administration.
