The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to avoid picking Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as his running mate.
The Islamic group in a statement signed by its Director-General, Professor Ishaq Akintola on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, said Wike is one of the “bigoted Christian governors who had been blacklisted by Nigerian Muslims.”
Akintola said Wike might create an unconducive environment for Muslims in Nigeria if he becomes a vice president of the country.
He said Wike had made some extremist remarks in the past, adding that the governor should not be allowed to hold any position at the federal level.
The statement reads in part: “Wike is an open enemy of Islam, a Muslim-hater primus inter pareil and an unrepentant mosque destroyer.
“The extremist remarks of Wike are still on record. He declared Rivers State a Christian State contrary to the constitution.
“Wike should not be allowed to hold any post at the federal level.
“Wike hates the sight of mosques and is ready to use his office as the number two citizen of the country to destroy all mosques in Nigeria.
“The Rivers State Governor is intolerant, unpredictable and violence-inclined and does not have the trust of Muslims in Nigeria and will definitely be a bad market for Atiku.
“We, therefore, advise Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to avoid Wike by all means.”
Atiku, who emerged as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party last month may soon announce his running mate for the 2023 election.
