By Emeka Nze
Abuja
A former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has faulted claims by the Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of attempting to Islamise Nigeria.
Sulaiman who made teh clarifications in a statement at the weekend in Abuja declared that the governor was not speaking for the party but for himself.
The former minister also called on the President to also include the PDP governors in his foreign trips, as leader of the country.
He said: “The above statement credited to Governor Ayo Fayose on Sat 27th of February that the trip by President Muhammad Buhari and five Governors to Saudi Arabia is an attempt to transform Nigeria into an Islamic Nation should be seen as a misguided utterances and not a true reflection of the perceptions of most members of our party.
“Not only is it capable of heightening the centrifugal tendencies in our country, such statement is capable of sabotaging the reform project been driven by some patriotic elements in our party.
“The mere visit by the President and some government functionaries is not enough to suggest an attempt to islamise the nation. Any divisive statement from any leader of our party is condemnable and we the ex-PDP ministers take exception to such statement in the spirit of united Nigeria.
“We hope other subsequent foreign trips by Mr. President will accommodate governors from PDP states, as Mr. President remains Nigeria President not APC President.”
