AN Islamic body in Nigeria criticised the government on Tuesday for what it saw as a bid to stall the implementation of the Sharia, or strict Islamic law, already introduced in some states. The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria said in a statement that a federal government move to introduce a uniform Islamic legal code was a delaying tactic. The communiqu came after an emergency meeting in the northern city of Kaduna. Eleven northern states have started implementing Sharia, but the federal government is seeking to review the way it is enforced in a country where many of the people, especially in the south, are Christians. Of these, nine states are already implementing the code fully. The Sharia body said in Tuesday’s statement signed by its national president, Datti Ahmad, that the government move was designed to delay Sharia in some states that have reached an advanced stage ahead of launching the law. “Given the diversity of states in the country, there is no way a single Sharia system can be workable. The whole move is motivated by political calculations with an eye on 2003 elections,” it said.