MURIC QUERIES JONATHAN’S SILENCE ON REMOVAL OF ‘NAIRA DARI’ IN NEW NOTE

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has said the Presidency’s response to complaints on the replacement of the Arabic Ajami (Naira Dari) inscription on the new centenary commemorative 100 note with a ‘Jewish Symbol’ only raises more questions than answers.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the Director of MURIC said in a statement that though the Presidency said the symbol on the new N100 note is not the Star of David but a spark security feature, the same office has said nothing on the rationale behind the removal of the Arabic Ajami on the old note, insisting that the spark security feature is marginal in the case and that what is important is the Arabic Ajami that was removed.
“Millions of Northerners have therefore been marginalized by removing the Arabic Ajami from the new N100 note. We complained in 2005 when Arabic Ajami was removed from new naira notes during the tenure of Dr. (Charles) Soludo as Governor of the Central Bank. The fact that the same thing is repeated has raised concern among Muslims. It means that there is a conspiracy to gradually and tactically eliminate Arabic Ajami. The Presidency has failed to address this,” Akintola said.
He also said that rather than demanding an apology, the Presidency should have appreciated MURIC’s enquiries since the statement was issued without malice or threat.
He said: “The Presidency’s reaction is an admission of the removal of Arabic from the new note. Also, our attention would not have been drawn to the symbol if Arabic Ajami had not been removed from the new note. We demanded an explanation and one has been offered. If indeed we are tax-payers, if indeed Nigeria is a democracy, what offence have we committed by asking the President we voted into power to explain certain things? We are satisfied in one area but there are still some green areas. We still ask the Presidency to tell Nigerians why Arabic Ajami was removed.”
He also said that the issue of the Israeli security experts in Aso Rock, whether true or false and the complaint on the ‘Jewish Symbol’ on the new note would have been laid to rest if the Presidency had been reacting to publications on the issues which began a long time ago before MURIC pointed it out, having been in the press and the social media for a long time.
He said MURIC stand by its claim on the gross numerical imbalance between Christian and Muslim delegates in the last National Conference (303 Christians to 189 Muslims), asking that if the Presidency still thinks the issue of numerical imbalance was not important, why did a Muslim delegation visit him in Aso Rock to complain about it? Adding, “What was the President’s response to them? Didn’t he promise to review the situation? Didn’t he promise to add more Muslim delegates? Did Mr. President keep his promise? The records are there.”
Source: Daily Trust