Osun Govt Rebukes MURIC, Says Adeleke’s Appointments Disprove Muslim Marginalisation Claims
The Osun State Government has accused the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, of running a misinformation campaign against Governor Ademola Adeleke, insisting the administration has appointed qualified Muslims to key positions and is delivering inclusive governance.
The government’s response came after MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, alleged that Governor Adeleke was marginalising Muslims in his administration.
Akintola had, in a statement on Saturday, alleged that the current administration has politically marginalised Muslims in the state.
Akintola said the forthcoming election presents another opportunity for voters in Osun State to reassess the governor’s leadership, accusing him of failing to demonstrate equitable representation in his cabinet and governance structure.
But a statement on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said Prof. Akintola “acted on misinformation or he is actively an agent of misinformation.”
“We believe Professor Akintola acted on misinformation, or he is actively an agent of misinformation. Governor Adeleke is a strong believer who relates well with people of all faiths, in line with the inclusive leadership example of Prophet Muhammad (SAW),” the statement said.
The government, while backing its claims, said the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, the Governor’s Spokesperson, and the Commissioner for Information were among several other Muslims appointed by the current administration.
The government urged Prof. Akintola to verify facts before going public and to assess the administration using verifiable data on budget execution, debt management by the DMO, and healthcare, where Osun was rated best in the Southwest for primary healthcare in 2024 and 2025.
“Elections should be about jobs, security, infrastructure, healthcare, and education, not identity politics. We expect MURIC to judge this administration by its record of service to all citizens, Muslim and non-Muslim alike,” the statement said.
The government further challenged MURIC to condemn the alleged shooting of residents by APC thugs Ile-Ife, Akoda, Owode-Ede and Osogbo, and questioned Prof. Akintola’s neutrality, asking him to be courageous to declare his partisan interest in the opposition APC and stop using religion to do hatchet job politics.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
