Abdul’aziz also alleged that some people are trying to cause disaffection between him and the wife of the president
By Kehinde Okeowo
Chief Imam of Dusten-Tanshi Jumma’ah Mosque Bauchi, Idris Abdul’aziz, has denied threatening the life of Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
The controversial Islamic cleric made this known while closing this year’s Ramadan commentary of the Holy Qur’an in Bauchi.
According to him, those who accused him of making the statement are trying to cause disaffection between him and the wife of the president.
Speaking at the event following his return from a self-imposed exile Abdul’aziz said: “I have no business with her whatsoever and I don’t even know her correct name. I have never commented on her husband, the president, let alone her. I don’t have anything to do with the wife of the president. It was a smear campaign orchestrated from Bauchi to cause disaffection between me and the wife of the president. Two groups are responsible for this.”
He went on to describe the allegations against him as a smear campaign aimed at tarnishing his reputation and dared his accusers to come up with evidence.
“I challenge those behind this to bring forward authentic video or audio evidence where I was quoted issuing a threat to the wife of the president,” he added.
Prior to this development, a viral video surfaced in February where the Islamic cleric allegedly declared that Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, deserved to die for her Christian faith.
He was also alleged to have described the Muslim-Muslim ticket that brought President Bola Tinubu to power as a scam.
Addressing the incident during the first lady’s visit to Bauchi in March, Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed expressed his dismay and described the threat as unacceptable.
He also apologised to Mrs Tinubu while assuring her of her safety in the state and pledged to take appropriate action against the cleric responsible for the threat.
