Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Osun State Government has accused the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola, of peddling misinformation after he alleged that Governor Ademola Adeleke was marginalising Muslims in his administration. In a statement issued on Sunday, June 14, 2026, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, said the government believes Akintola either acted on misinformation or has become an agent of misinformation, and urged him to be guided by the teachings of the Qur’an and the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad in his engagement with the state.
The commissioner insisted that Governor Adeleke remains committed to inclusive governance and maintains cordial relationships with adherents of all faiths. “Governor Adeleke is a strong believer who relates well with people of all faiths, in line with the inclusive leadership example of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). His administration has appointed qualified Muslims to key positions,” Alimi stated. He cited the appointments of Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye as Secretary to the State Government and Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye as Chief of Staff as evidence of the administration’s inclusiveness. Alimi also noted that the governor’s spokesperson and several commissioners and heads of agencies are Muslims serving alongside appointees of other faiths.
The commissioner highlighted several projects undertaken by the administration that he said benefit the Muslim community, including the commencement of construction of the Osun Hajj Camp, which ended Osun’s status as the only South-West state without one, and the approval of a mosque within the Government House for Muslim staff. “We urge Professor Akintola to verify facts before going public, as admonished in Qur’an 49:6,” Alimi said. He added that government performance should be assessed through verifiable indicators such as budget implementation, debt management, and healthcare outcomes, where Osun was rated best in the South-West for primary healthcare in 2024 and 2025.
Alimi also alleged that Akintola was disguising political criticism as religious advocacy and challenged him to openly declare any partisan interest in the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). He called on MURIC to condemn reported attacks on residents in Ile-Ife, Akoda, Owode-Ede and Osogbo allegedly carried out by armed individuals in APC-branded campaign vehicles, if the organisation wished to dispel accusations of political bias. Alimi further urged MURIC not to continue engaging in what he described as a campaign of misinformation against Governor Adeleke’s administration. “Elections should be about jobs, security, infrastructure, healthcare and education, not identity politics. We expect MURIC to judge this administration by its record of service to all citizens, Muslim and non‑Muslim alike,” the statement added.
MURIC had previously urged Muslims in Osun State to be vigilant ahead of the next governorship election, warning them not to allow Governor Adeleke to “mock them a second time” if he seeks re-election. Akintola issued the warning on Saturday, alleging that the governor’s administration had politically marginalised Muslims in the state despite what he described as expectations of inclusiveness during the 2022 election.
The Osun State Government has since challenged MURIC to provide evidence of its claims and to focus on issues-based governance rather than what it described as politically motivated religious advocacy. The state government reiterated its commitment to serving all residents regardless of faith, urging religious leaders to promote peace and unity.
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