Former Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque, Sheikh Nuru Khalid has said that “the pulpit of the mosque was once a centre for the Buhari campaign,’’ arguing that he used same position to ask former president, Goodluck Jonathan to resign from office, but was not attacked by anyone then.
Sheikh Khalid, who is the founder, Islamic Research and Da’awah Foundation, made this known during his appearance on Daily Politics, a programme on Trust TV.
He was suspended and later sacked by the committee of the mosque, after criticising President Muhammadu Buhari over his inability to end insecurity in the country in the aftermath of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.
However, the irrepressible imam told the Daily Trust TV that he would rather die of hunger than be an imam that cannot speak the truth, especially at a time when life is losing value in Nigeria.
“I’ve nothing to lose. For this, I stand by my words. I will rather die of hunger than be quiet when people are killed. Trains are attacked and roads are blocked and (there is) bloodletting everywhere,” Daily Trust quoted him to have said.
“I live in a local area. My children go to public schools and I relate with local people. Therefore I know the difficult situation the people of this country are going through.”
The imam said he was approached three times by some people in the government in an attempt to prevent him from commenting on the happenings in the country but he resisted.
“If the government is not happy, then we asked who is the president and who are the people suffering? Are they not the majority. The masses are more important that is why we call government workers civil servants. The lives of the masses must be preserved.”
The cleric complained that very few Imams have the guts to speak on the dire situation in the country, while encouraging others to speak out.
“Very few imams speak on the ugly situation in the country. And this is the right time to speak up. If you are an Imam, don’t be afraid. Speak the truth and let them take their mosque,” he said.
Sheikh Khalid, according to Daily Trust, said he first learnt about his suspension in the media.
He stated, “It was a one-man show, as no committee sat before the said suspension. If they wanted me to go, they should have approached me in person and I would have gladly left. I’ve nothing to lose.”
The cleric made it clear that the mosque was not owned by the government as it was established by a Muslim committee in the legislative quarters.
However, the imam alleged that Senator DanSadau of using the pulpit of the mosque to defend the present administration.
He added, “I was in Jos when the congregation booed DanSadau because of his continued habit of defending the government. This is the man who criticised other governments on the same pulpit.”
