From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Zamfara State chapter has condemned in strong terms the circular of restructuring of Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) signed by the permanent secretary cabinet affairs, Lawal Hussain and shared to the public for immediate implementation
A statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Malam Yusuf Idris, said his party has observed that the circular is anti Sharia and the progress of Islamic teachings in the Shari’ah practicing state which is ever made in the state which gradually dismantled the Islamic structure without recourse to the possible implications.
According to the statement, the scrapped Islamic Sharia component included, Qur’anic Recitation and Tajweed Agency, Sharia Research and Development Commission, Public Complaint Commission, Anti Corruption Commission, Directorate for Qur’anic Schools and Islamic organisations, Islamic Preaching, Jumaat Mosques and Eid Praying Grounds Establishment Regulation Commission.
“Even if the Governor considers himself an Abuja boy, he should know that he is now the Governor of Zamfara State where close to 100 percent of the citizens are Muslims and on which foundation the state has been able to attained stability.
“It is now crystal clear that the Governor is all out to sprinkle acid in all the segments of Islam in the state starting with the sacking of the Ulama Consultative Council from the government house and reallocated the secretariat to his wife who has no constitutional role in the governance.
“The Ulama Consultative Council secretariat was operating at the Government House because of it’s key role played in advising the Governor as well as drawing his attention on matters of governance in the purview of Islam so that he will not falter in being fair to all and sundry.
It further lamented that, “The Governor who felt he could single handedly change the law because nobody can challenge him, has decided to expel the council from the facility, reducey their powers by throwing the high ranking scholars who are vast in Islamic jurisprudence to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and not giving them an office or any role.
“The governor needs to know that the Ulama Consultative Council (UCC) was established in order to monitor all the laws that are to be passed by the State House of Assembly to ensure that they comply with Sharia to give Islamic Fatwah which guided the Government in its activities, and to prepare examinations and interviews for new intake of Sharia Court Judges as well as to advise the Governor on important and complicated issues.
“Other functions of the said scrapped Islamic establishment, was to supervise the activities of Sharia implementing agencies as well as all other Government agencies in order to ensure Sharia compliance, and to guide Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, and to assist in resolving complicated disputes.”
