An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Jingir, has come under fire after urging Muslims not to vote for Christian presidential candidates and describing Christians as infidels.
Jingir, National Chairman of the Council of Ulama of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS, Jos faction), reportedly made the remarks at a political gathering in Kano State attended by prominent political figures, including Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi.
Speaking in Hausa, the cleric urged Muslims to support and sustain the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He argued that the ticket demonstrated the numerical strength of Muslims in Nigeria, saying, “Here, I urge you to prepare your votes. Let us show the world that the infidels are lying when they say they outnumber us. Show the infidels their limit.
“Nigeria is a Muslim country, and if you don’t want to accept a Muslim-Muslim ticket, you should leave Nigeria because it belongs to us. If not for the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Christians in Nigeria would think they are more than us.
This is why we must make sure the Muslim-Muslim ticket continues to succeed so that our dominance remains sustained,” he stated.
The comments have generated widespread condemnation, with several Christian and Muslim voices warning that such rhetoric could deepen religious divisions and threaten peaceful coexistence.
Prophet Isa El-Buba of the El-Buba Outreach Ministries International, was among those who reacted, calling on moderate Muslims to distance themselves from Jingir’s comments and urge him to reconsider his position.
El-Buba expressed concern that the cleric’s remarks could heighten religious tension in the country. He also disclosed that he had personally assisted nearly 10,000 Muslims across northern Nigeria, questioning why a religious leader would make statements capable of aggravating tensions between Muslims and Christians.
The Christian cleric further called for security agencies to arrest Jingir, while alleging that the Kano State governor appeared to be enjoying the speech.
Reacting to Jingir’s comments, El-Buba also criticised the socio-economic conditions in northern Nigeria, saying, “The North has the highest number of Muslims, yet there is so much poverty in the region. Are you not ashamed that banditry and criminality are prevalent here in the North? It is here in the North that we have the highest number of drug addicts.”
He subsequently appealed to moderate Muslims to disassociate themselves from Jingir and others whose statements, he said, could damage the image of Islam and deepen religious divisions.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, also condemned the cleric’s remarks, revealing that he had received more than 100 calls and messages from concerned Christians and Muslims following the controversy.
Fani-Kayode said he would not remain silent while religious faith was allegedly being used for political purposes, stressing that religious matters were more important than political power.
He said, “Jingir is not only feeding into a false narrative with his reckless words, but he is also endangering the chances of our candidates in the 2027 presidential election because, to win, we need BOTH Muslim AND Christian votes.”
According to Fani-Kayode, Jingir’s position does not represent the ruling All Progressives Congress or its leadership.
He added that the cleric “does not represent the sentiments of the APC, nor does he speak for us. He only speaks for himself.”
Fani-Kayode also urged the Department of State Services to invite and caution Jingir over his remarks, warning of the possible consequences if religious rhetoric continues to fuel division.
He stated, “Christians are NOT infidels; we are believers. NOBODY is going anywhere because this is our country.
“Nigeria is NOT a Muslim country, nor is it a Christian country. Sheikh Jingir does NOT represent or reflect the thinking of the majority of Nigerian Muslims, but only a tiny minority of extremists. Sheikh Jingir has done immense damage to President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima by speaking in this manner, and I suspect he is secretly working against them.”
A Muslim TikToker, King M Faisal, also criticised Jingir and appealed to President Tinubu to call the cleric to order.
Faisal described Jingir’s comments as among the most provocative statements in recent times, arguing that religious leaders should not employ language capable of dividing Nigerians or undermining national peace.
Lagos-based lawyer Deji Adeyanju similarly called on the government to take measures against individuals whose actions could further polarise the country along religious lines.
Adeyanju stressed that Nigeria is a religiously diverse nation operating under a secular constitution and warned that attempts to promote religious numerical superiority or threaten members of another faith could undermine peace and interfaith relations.
