Why Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders

NOTWITHSTANDING the intrigues trailing the forthcoming general elections, the Muslim Ummah have been urged to exercise their franchise with fairness and march out en-mass to vote God-fearing leaders irrespective of political affiliation.

    Some reputable Islamic scholars who spoke with The Guardian recently emphasized the need for Muslims to have their voices heard through credible and peaceful elections.

   The Companion scholar, Imam Nojimdeen Jumah, urged the electorates to use their votes wisely and vote the right people, adding that voting wrong people into public offices would amount to betrayal of Allah and the people of Nigeria.

   Jumah said Allah has given humanity the free-will to do thing and choose the right things that would be beneficial to their existence, and improve their environment.

    The National Amirah of Al-Mu’minaat Organisation, Hajia Nimatullah Abdul Lateef, enjoined all Muslim women to go out en-mass to perform their civic responsibilities during the elections.

   She said: “We need not to vote along ethnic lines, we have done that in the past and it has failed us. So, all we need is credibility. We need somebody that will change Nigeria for the better,”

  She therefore urged Nigerians to shun electoral violence and ensure that the conducts of the elections are peaceful.

   The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) in its Guidelines to Elections, advocated that the Nigerian Muslim constituency takes its vote seriously as a means to contribute to the emergence of responsive and ethical leaders that will lift the nation out of its present woes and miseries and provide the citizenry with the tangible benefits of good governance.

    “It is worth noting that the Muslim community has the potential to influence the outcome of elections in most constituencies through their vote alone, and much better when coordinated with other sectors of their respective local constituencies.

   “Seeing our votes as Amanah (trust) and a means to effect lasting positive changes in our society for the benefit of all, we urge Nigerian    Muslims to vote according to their conscience and elect God-fearing

leaders based only on the candidates’ track-records and competencies. 

   “We urge assessment of candidates – Muslim and non-Muslim – based on the candidates’ worth and his/her knowledge, disposition and action plans on the issues that are of concern and importance to the community and the society.”

It also urged Muslim leaders to (continue to) hold elected officials,  political candidates and public officials accountable and demand their commitment on vital issues that affect our community- such as Islamophobia, religious discrimination and harassment, among others.