Sheikh Umar flanked by some members of the organisation addressing the press conference
The National Imam of the Ahlussunna Wal Jamma grouping of the Islamic community in the country, Sheikh Umar Ibrahim Imam, has stated that as per their constitution, “no deputy is an automatic successor to the National Imam” of the organisation.
The revered cleric said this during a press conference last Saturday in Accra in reaction to a simmering turf war over succession and alleged actions which appear to be calling his bluff.
Describing the development as an exercise in futility by some members, he also took issues with what he said border on administrative misinformation or disinformation.
These, he said, “have created deep cracks within the body of Ahlussunna.”
Per the constitution of the grouping, he said “our finances and properties must be administered from the headquarters. I tried for almost six years to get this understanding sink into the minds of some of my Ulama but they have refused to understand organisational work.” This, he said, has resulted in the fabrication of falsehood to discredit him.
He has demanded that some monies deposited into an account at the headquarters under hazy circumstances be made public.
“I demand they make the said account public and how much they deposited therein and who are the drawers to that account?
“If they are not able to tell what account they deposited the money in and how much they deposited, and who withdrew the money, then it becomes obvious who they are and what they are planning to do,” he charged.
In view of the foregone, therefore, the National Imam of the organisation has stated that in view of the deviation from the path of the constitution of the organisation in the past six years, “they should go ahead and administer it the way they want.”
The National Imam has also abolished the ranking system attached to his deputies.
“All my deputies are now without any rank of preference. They shall be known by their sectors of concentration i.e. Deputy National Imam in charge of Da’wa and Education, Deputy National Imam in charge of Finance and Administration and so on.”
“The Deputy National Imam in charge of Da’wa and Education is Sheikh Mohammed Kamil Mohammed and the Deputy National Imam in charge of Administration is Sheikh Munir Abdallah Taufiq.
“No deputy or secretary shall convene any ASWAJ meeting without first seeking my approval and discuss the agenda of such meeting with me,” he added.
Sheikh Umar had demanded the submission of suggestions regarding the amendment of the constitution of the organisation to the amendments committee.
By A.R. Gomda