A Twitter user, @UchePOkoye, on Saturday, claimed that Bola Tinubu promised the Supreme Council for Sharia that Sharia rule would be extended to the South.
Verdict: False
Full text @uchePokoye:
“Why would Tinubu make promises to Supreme Council for Sharia down South? Tinubu is a dangerous and desperate man who can do anything to have power”
The tweep attached a screenshot traced to a report by Vanguard Newspaper. The tweet got about 1,300 retweets and over 2000 likes.
Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections, emerged as candidate of the party in the primary election held in Abuja on June 7.
His choice of former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetimma as his running mate has caused a stir on social media with many commentators condemning the Muslim-Muslim ticket. They argue that it is an utter disregard for Christians in the country.
Supporters of Tinubu however downplay the significance of religion in the country’s political life. They maintain that track record and competence should take centre stage in political discussions leading to the election, rather than religion or ethnicity.
Verification:
The screenshot posted by the tweep to support his claim that Tinubu intends to extend sharia to the South was from a report by Vanguard Newspaper, in which Tinubu reportedly urged Muslim leaders to create departments of Political Affairs.
The report was published on March 19, 2022, months before Tinubu emerged as a Presidential candidate.
Meanwhile, Tinubu was not at the said event. Instead, he was reportedly represented by the Asiwaju Musulumi (a leader of Muslims) of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Chief Tunde Badmus.
Badmus reportedly spoke at the Annual National Conference and Pre-Ramadan meeting of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), held at GMT hotel in Osogbo, Osun State.
Badmus was quoted thus: “Other religious groups have commenced political sensitization by creating political departments or directorates among themselves to promote their own. You should create a political wing among yourself so that it will further gear your participation in politics, it will be a good platform to support your brothers who are vying for political positions”.
If hypothetically, Badmus was at the event to convey Tinubu’s exact thoughts, the postulation that he wants to extend sharia is erroneous as the report is clearly not about extending Sharia to the South, but simply a call to Muslim associations in the country to create political departments. This can be likened to the Directorate of Politics, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
It is also worthy of note that Tinubu, presumably represented by Badmus, made the call a few days after the RCCG announced the establishment of the Directorate of politics, which according to the Church, “is to help coordinate the engagement of our people who are willing to be involved in politics as well as mobilise support for them when required.”
According to the report by Vanguard, and published by other media outfits, the department, as explained by Badmus at the Islamic event was “to create political awareness among faithfuls towards producing a Muslim President in 2023.”
Conclusion:
Tinubu never promised to extend Sharia to the South, instead, according to the report quoted in the claim, he appealed to an Islamic association, the Supreme Council for Sharia, to create a political department, in order to mobilise the support of Muslims for him and other Muslims vying for political offices.
