President cautions youth against selfish politicians

30/03/08
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE President has advised the youth not to allow themselves to be used by self-seeking politicians to physically or verbally attack their perceived opponents during this year’s general elections.
They should realise that politics is not “a fight but a play” and that supporters of opposing political parties are not enemies.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, at the birthday celebration (Maulid Nabiyyi) of Prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H.) organised by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, in Accra, on Saturday, President J.A. Kufuor noted that; “if someone belongs to another political party, it does not mean he is your enemy”.
The Maulid, attended by Muslims in and outside the country, was to recount the qualities of peace, patience, honesty, piety and righteousness of Prophet Muhammed.
President Kufuor was reacting to a reported clash between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, Nana Akufo Addo, and those of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof Atta Mills, around the Chief Imam’s residence at Fadama, on Friday.
Reports indicated that Prof Mills and Nana Akufo Addo’s team had called on the National Chief Imam to show their solidarity which led to the clash between the supporters of the two camps.
The president reminded the youth that they were not ‘bulldozers”, to be used by politicians to cause mayhem during the elections and to be dumped after the elections.
He, therefore, asked the youth to beware of such people and rather pursue education in order to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country, saying that “no matter the provocation, you have to be patient”.
He said Islam was a religion of peace and development and urged muslims not to allow politics to divide their united ranks.
He noted that the various political parties were in a contest to win political power, and stressed the need for winners to celebrate their victory with caution.
Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu in a speech read on his behalf, said Prophet Muhammed’s golden rule, enunciated more than 1400 years ago, “reflected the remarkable wisdom and foresight of this revolutionary teacher of all times”.
“If only humanity has allowed itself to be guided by that rule, a great deal of human right violations, the main cause of conflicts and wars would have been avoided. The protection of the welfare and rights of women and the under privileged was top most on his agenda. He was totally against racism and he is quoted as having said that ‘there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab or a white man over a non-white man except in righteousness”, he stressed.
Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu said the golden rule implicated peace and harmony in national affairs and international relations, and called for the respect of the rights and dignity of citizens irrespective of their tribe, gender or religion.
He thanked God for the prevailing peace in the country and prayed for the peace to be maintained before, during and after this year’s elections.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I. C. Quaye, who stood in for the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, reminded Muslims of Prophet Muhammed’s admonition to help one another in righteousness and piety but not in sin or rancour.


In a related development, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, has condemned the clash between supporters of Prof Mills, the NDC presidential candidate and those of the NPP presidential candidate, Nana Akufo Addo, around his residence at Fadama on Friday.
“I condemn the unruly behaviour of the Muslim youth in no uncertain terms and call on Muslims throughout the country to exercise restraint and conduct themselves properly during the upcoming general election in December, 2008”, he said in a statement read on his behalf in Accra, on Saturday, during the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammed (Maulid Nabiyyi).
The statement recounted that the presidential candidates of NPP and NDC had come to the National Chief Imam mainly to fraternise with him and the Muslim community on the occasion of the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammed.
It said Prof Mills was the first to arrive at 11:30 am, and that as soon as he finished interacting with the National Chief Imam and was stepping out, Nana Akufo Addo also arrived.
“Supporters from both sides began casting insinuations and using abusive language on one another which resulted in confusion, argument and quarrelling”, the statement said.
However, it said, leaders of the two delegations conducted themselves properly and did not engage in any provocative acts which could have resulted in chaos.
“The act of violence and confusion was perpetrated by their supporters majority of whom were the Muslim youth”, it said.
The statement noted that the National Chief Imam, by virtue of his position “is non-partisan and will not openly campaign for any particular political party”.
In addition, it said “he will not show biases and preference to any individual political party in Ghana, and prays that Almighty Allah will choose the best candidate and party to govern this country after the December 2008 elections”.
In the statement Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu called on the leaders of all political parties not to allow their supporters to engage in acts that will destroy the relative peace in the country.
He also called on Imams and church leaders to dedicate the season of elections to preach peace, tranquility and exemplary conducts exhibited by Muhammed, Jesus and Abraham.
The statement denied media reports that some of the people were injured and others hospitalised as a result of the clashes and that “there is no iota of truth in the reportage and we are calling on those peddling the rumours to mention specific names and hospitals where the victims were sent to”.