Shehu Sani Faults Tinubu’s Call for Political Dept in Religious Group

A former Senator from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani has faulted a recent call by former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, that the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria should create a department of political affairs ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Shehu who wrote on his official Twitter handle, argued that the initiative could be a breeding ground for promoting religious fanatics.

Tinubu made the call at the Annual National Conference and Pre-Ramadan meeting of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) which was held in Osogbo, Osun State capital, recently. The former Lagos governor said the initiative would help to mobilise support for the faithful who are vying for different political positions.

But Sani Tweeted: “Once religious groups in the North begins to set up political departments, it’s not just going to be ‘a department’ like in the RCCG, it’s going to be a breeding unit for fanatical religiously-crafted political ideas in pursuit of a theocratic State. Abeg, let the sleeping Lion lie.”

Tinubu’s comment came few days after the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) set up a department on politics and governance to mobilise support for its members who may be vying for political posts.

The church, with over 32,000 branches across the country, had said the newly established Office of Directorate of Politics and Governance” would help to muster support for members with political ambitions and also help members of the church to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) ahead of the election.

A memo dated February 28 and signed by the CO/AGO on Administration and Personnel, J.F Odesola. directed regional, provincial and local heads of the ubiquitous Pentecostal church to replicate similar desks in their respective domains and appoint officers to man them.