A faith-based rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has accused Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State of sidelining Muslims in his latest cabinet appointments of permanent secretaries.
MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement on Thursday, claimed that the governor appointed an “all-Christian” set of nine permanent secretaries, also known as tutor generals, in a list released on Tuesday by the Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro.
The group described the appointments as “a reflection of religious intolerance, administrative exclusivity, and disregard for constitutional provisions,” alleging that even the few Muslim-sounding names on the list belonged to individuals who no longer practice the faith.
Akintola argued that the decision had “ignited widespread discontent among Muslims in Lagos and beyond” and called for the governor to engage with Muslim leaders in the state to provide clarification. He warned that failure to do so could push Lagos Muslims to “seek an alternative political ally.”
MURIC further faulted the governor for breaching Section 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires government appointments to reflect the diversity of the people and promote inclusivity. The group noted that Christians were disproportionately favoured, citing Sanwo-Olu’s appointment of 43 Christian commissioners compared to 14 Muslims in his cabinet.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu has always failed the inclusivity test. He failed it big time this time around. He has a duty to explain his latest ‘all-Christian’ permanent secretaries,” the statement read.
The group maintained that citizens have the right to hold public officials accountable for their actions in a democracy and stressed that the governor must be held accountable for decisions that alienate sections of the state’s population.
