By: Ifedayo Ogunyemi
WITH six days to the general election, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has warned that it will support only the presidential candidate that has demonstrated readiness to dismantle Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and war economy.
The NSCIA said this in a statement containing a five-point charter of expectation from the next Nigerian government which was signed by its deputy secretary-general, Professor Salisu Shehu and Director of Administra- tion, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, and made available to Sunday Tribune on Saturday.
The apex Islamic body listed the five points as security, economy, infrastructure, human capital and governance.
According to the council, Nigeria’s war economy and insecurity, having enriched a few persons and enslaved the majority of Nigerians, must be dismantled by the incoming administration in the country along with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
NSCIA said the support of the Nigerian Muslim community will only be given to any presidential candidate that shows willingness to consider this issue, which the council deems important to the development of the country.
NSCIA said it expects whoever forms the next government to provide solutions to the areas of security, economy, infrastructure, human capital and governance, just as it urged the new government to address the issue of trust deficit between the rulers and the ruled in the country.
“Some of the key lessons to note here include the dismantling of the war economy from which a few officials are feeding fat, the integrity of commanders, the absence of synergy between the differ- ent security services, building local trust for effective intelligence and working with local authorities who would know their terrain better than any outsider.
Besides, the incoming government must curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons,” NSCIA said.
