Jos — Some Nigerians have criticised the National Chairman of Jama'atu Izalatil Bid'a Wa'ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, over what they described as the use of religion to influence political choices ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The cleric, while speaking on Saturday at a mass wedding ceremony organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, urged Muslims to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next general election.
His remarks, however, have sparked criticism, with some Nigerians describing them as inflammatory and accusing him of using his religious position to promote a political candidate.
Speaking at the event, Sheikh Jingir had said: "My candidate is Bola Ahmad Bola Tinubu. The President selected a Muslim as his vice. I am one of those who called people to support the Muslim-Muslim ticket. I know some non-Muslims don't like the word Muslim-Muslim. As a Muslim who preaches Islam, if I support Muslim-Muslim, what is my offence? What have I done wrong? I don't stop anyone who believes or supports another candidate from doing the same."
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However, many Nigerians have described the comment as dangerous and damaging to the image of Islam in the country.
Isa Sanusi, Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, on Sunday said such comments are un-Islamic.
"The damage Malam Yahaya Jingir of Jos is doing to Islam and the entire Muslim ummah of northern Nigeria is dangerous and totally un-Islamic. Islam does not condone injustice, discrimination and manipulation. What he is doing is weaponising religion for personal and political ends.
"It is sad that politicians and the political party that benefit from Mallam Jingir's weaponisation of Islam for elections never -- directly or indirectly -- distance themselves from his advocacy of religious hatred. No preacher -- Christian or Muslim should be allowed to use religion to incite hatred," Sanusi said in a Facebook post.
The former Minister of Sport, Barrister Solomon Dalung, described the comment as troubling, adding that all Nigerians, including Muslims and Christians, are suffering under the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Dalung, in a post on social media, said: "A Muslim-Muslim ticket does not put food on a Muslim family's table. It does not secure a kidnapped Muslim farmer. It does not give a Muslim child a good school. It does not reduce the price of fuel, food or medicine. It does not create jobs. It does not fix a broken road or keep electricity on.
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"Nigeria is not a religious battlefield where one faith must establish its superiority over another.
"And frankly, if a Muslim-Muslim ticket is supposed to be defended on the basis of competence, justice, security, economic progress and good governance, then defend it on those grounds.
"But if the argument has now become 'we are more in numbers, therefore we should dominate,' then we have moved from democracy into religious arithmetic.
Also reacting, Nigeria's Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, said Jingir's comments were "highly provocative" and warned against what he described as extremist rhetoric.
"I have immense respect for Sheikh Jingir, but I am constrained to point out that the extremist rhetoric he has indulged in here is most unhelpful, and neither is it true," Fani-Kayode wrote on X on Sunday.
"Worse of all is the fact that it is highly provocative. Kindly take note that it is a very slippery and dangerous slope to take and is best avoided."
Fani-Kayode said his support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027 was based on the candidates' qualities rather than their religion.
