Nigeria’s President Buhari has denied widespread allegations that he is promoting an agenda to islamize Nigeria, describing such claims as deceptive, false, ungodly and wicked.
The President, in a statement signed by his Media and Publicity Adviser, Femi Adesina on Friday, February 22, suggested that those who make such claims clearly have an objective to stoke up religious division for political gains.
However, there are many who argue that his preference for Muslims in appointments to the country’s top security positions and overt protection of Muslims who massacre indigenous Christian communities give credence to such claims.
The full text of the President’s statement read:
It has come to the notice of President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the forthcoming elections, that some unscrupulous Nigerians are again falsely and wickedly claiming that the administration has an agenda to impose Islam on Nigeria.
The objective is clearly to stoke up religious division for political gains. Some of these same persons made these devious and fabricated claims ahead of the 2015 election. They failed woefully.
The President strongly affirms the oath he took before the Nigerian people to faithfully defend the Constitution of Nigeria. That Constitution guarantees freedom of worship for every Nigerian. It is this guarantee that enables all Nigerians to practise their faiths or religion without hindrance.
President Buhari further affirms his commitment to freedom of religion and worship for all Nigerians, and that under no circumstance will any religion or faith be imposed on any Nigerian.
It is dangerous, deceptive and ungodly to play politics with religion.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity)
February 22, 2019