- The group also suggested that the move could be part of a broader political agenda
The Southern Solidarity Alliance (SSA) has rejected calls for the introduction of Sharia law in the South-West or any other southern region of Nigeria, describing the proposal as “shocking, unacceptable, and a big slap” on the region.
In a statement on Friday, the group’s National Coordinator, Ndubuisi Okafor, argued that implementing Sharia in southern Nigeria contradicts the country’s secular status and undermines its religious diversity.
“The South is cosmopolitan and welcomes all religions, and there is no superiority of one over the other for the laws of one to prevail over the rest. Nigeria is a secular state, yet the Islamic establishment continues to push for religious laws that do not align with the existing constitutional framework,” the statement read.
The SSA questioned why Sharia law was being considered for the South when even some northern states, where Islam is more dominant, had not fully embraced the legal system. The group also suggested that the move could be part of a broader political agenda.
“Is this a continuation of the failed mission of enforcing Islam through Fulani expansionism and imperialism down to the Atlantic Ocean? Or is it a test of the benefit of a joint Muslim ticket at the presidency?” the statement asked.
The group criticised northern leaders for prioritising religious policies over pressing issues such as insecurity, poverty, and illiteracy. It urged southern governors and traditional rulers to remain vigilant against any attempts to impose religious laws that contradict the region’s cultural and legal framework.
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