Following the decision of a renowned philanthropist and former Deputy National Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mallam Saliu Mustapha, to contest as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), indigenes and top cleric of Ilorin Emirate on Friday went spiritual.
The Chief Missioner of Ilorin Central Mosque, Imam Yakubu Aliagan, led the brief prayer session shortly before the commencement of Juma’at prayers, according to a report by DailyTrust Newspaper.
While highlighting Mustapha’s contributions towards the maintenance of the central mosque, Aliagan prayed to God to grant the APC’s chairmanship ambition of the politician.
For his part, the Baba Isale of Ilorin, Alh Abdullahi Sadiq, expressed confidence in the ability of Mustapha to deliver if given the mandate to lead the ruling APC.
He said the community decided to organise the special prayer for Mustapha because of his outstanding philanthropic gestures and immeasurable contributions to the development of the Ilorin Emirate.
“Malam Mustapha has all it takes to lead APC at the national level. He’s intelligent, humane and above all, he’s God-fearing,” Sadiq added.
Two other speakers, Engr Abubakar Aduagba and Ambassador Tajudeen Olesin, urged the stakeholders to provide a level playing ground for all the chairmanship aspirants.
They said if this is done, Mustapha stands a better chance to emerge as the national chairman of the party.
“Given his antecedents, Salihu Mustapha will perform creditably if given the chance to lead the ruling APC,” Aduagba said.
For his part, Olesin, who described Mustapha as a great philanthropist and lover of the poor, said: “All men of goodwill in the APC should queue behind Mustapha and ensure his emergence as the next national chairman of the party.”
Olesin equally called on the APC stakeholders to zone the party’s chairmanship to the North – Central zone of the country.