Ministerial nomination: Osun PDP Elders, Islamic Group Hail Jonathan

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, Politics Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

Elders of the People’s Democratic Party in Osun State have commended president Goodluck Jonathan for the nomination of Mallam Abdul- Jelili Oyewale Adesiyan as a minister from Osun state,describing the choice as “appropriate, politically correct and in conformity with the wishes of Osun people.”

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan

In the same vein, a religious organisation, Islamic Political Committee of Osun state has lauded the president for picking a Muslim scholar to represent Osun state in the federal cabinet,affirming that the president by his action has demonstrated a sense of fairness and love for Muslims in the state.

The two groups had issued separate statements yesterday. While the statement from the PDP elders was signed by its chairman, Chief Lai Ogunrinade, that of the Islamic Political Committee was signed by Sheikh Imran Adio, its Coordinator.

The PDP elders said by nominating Mallam Adesiyan , the president had listened to the voices of the party that “truly grassroots nominee should represent the state at the federal cabinet as a way of spreading the many accomplishments of the president’s transformation agenda.

“We the elders of PDP in Osun met and we commend Mr President on his choice of Adesiyan.The choice is the best that has ever happened to the party in the state in recent times. Adesiyan is a grassroots politician, a man of the people who can best represent the president in this crucial period.

“As the president has listened to us, we pledge our unalloyed support to the transformational presidency of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. At our meeting were elders from all the thirty local governments and we all resolve to work more assiduously for the success of the Jonathan presidency”, the statement said.

The elders assured the president that the ministerial nominee from the state would not disappoint him and the people of Nigeria, explaining that “the nominee is a competent and experienced administrator, a team player and disciplined politician well known for his love for the people”

Meanwhile,the Muslim group, IPC said the nomination of Mallam Adesiyan has corrected the old imbalance in the ministerial composition from the South West geo political zone which it said was for long a source of worry for the Muslim community.

According to the group,” we hail president Goodluck Jonathan for not just picking a Muslim but one with Islamic training and identification with the Islamic community in Osun state. Mallam Adesiyan is one of us and we are thankful for the opportunity granted us through him to serve in the federal cabinet.

“We assure the president that the nominee is well versed religiously in addition to his educational and political qualifications. His religious qualification we believe is an asset especially in reaching out to disenchanted Muslims within and outside Osun state,” the statement signed by Sheikh Adio noted.