“Present Muslim Candidates or Lose Our Votes in South-West,” — MURIC Tells Political Parties Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on political parties to nominate Muslim candidates for governorship positions in South-West Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, the group said parties seeking electoral support from Muslims in the region should reflect that demographic in their candidate selection.

MURIC specifically urged major parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), to present Muslim governorship candidates in Oyo, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, and Ondo states.

The organisation warned that parties that fail to do so should not expect support from Muslim voters in the South-West.

According to MURIC, Muslims form a majority in the region and there are qualified individuals capable of holding governorship offices. The group argued that the current political leadership across several South-West states is dominated by Christian governors, citing Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun as examples.

The statement also noted that Ekiti and Ondo states have Christian governors, adding that Muslims make up between 35 and 40 percent of the population in those states.

MURIC further claimed that no state in Southern Nigeria is currently led by a Muslim governor, describing the situation as an imbalance in political representation.

The group maintained that addressing this imbalance should be a priority for political parties ahead of the next election cycle.