A group, Coalition and Council of Ulama and Islamic Organisations in Kano State has distanced itself from the removal of the Chairman of Kano State Council of Ulamas (scholars), Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil.
The coalition on Tuesday in a statement signed by its Secretary, Dr Sa’idu Ahmad Dukawa and other notable clerics including Professor Musa Muhammad Borodo, Professor Mohammad Babangida Mohammad, Sheik Kariballah Sheikh Nasiru Kabara, Sheikh Abdulwahab Abdallah, and Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, denied any involvement in the removal of Khalil from office.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the chairman and leader of the Kano State Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil was impeached by the Kano Ulama (Islamic clerics).
The clerics alleged that Sheikh turned the council into a political platform, by engaging in face-off with every government that comes into power including the administration of the current Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The announcement was made on Monday, when they expressed their dissatisfaction with the chairman’s action while addressing journalists in Kano.
A coalition of the various Muslim sects that included Izala, Tijjaniyya and Kadiriyya, led by Ustaz Saifullah Assudani, noted that the chairman of the State Council of Ulama was impeached for being political in running the affairs of the council.
Professor Saleh Pakistan, who is also the chairman of Kano Pilgrims Welfare Commission, was appointed as the new chairman of the council.
The coalition noted that Khalil was accused of “turning the council into a political platform by engaging in face-off with every government that comes into power that included former governors Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, Rabiu Kwankwaso and of recent, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
“His reasons in all the cases were that they disallowed him to contest political offices in his position as a cleric; a situation that has led to the council not benefiting from the government and the government not benefitting from the elderly advice of the council.
“Lack of fairness to all the religious groups in the state who do not have any stake in the council, that include Tijjaniyya, Qadiriyya, Izala and other clerics from religious sects not mentioned here.
“Members are complaining of being kept in the dark about happenings in the council.”
However, an Islamic cleric from the Tijjaniyya sect in the Kiru Local Government Area, Sheikh Sulaiman Bello Kiru, condemned the removal of the Council’s leader, saying it has political undertones.
“We are not part of this decision and it looks more political. We were only called upon to come and attend the press conference from where we heard the announcement that Sheikh Khalil has been impeached.
“We were not consulted and are not aware of anything. The body has no constitution, no tenure for the leadership and is being politicised,” he added.
