Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahya Jingir, has sparked debate after calling for the continued adoption of Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections, prompting a sharp rebuke from Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, who warned that the remarks were “highly provocative” and represented a “slippery and dangerous slope.”
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Jingir made the call at an event attended by some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, including Abba Yusuf of Kano State and Umar Namadi of Jigawa State, according to a video that went viral on Sunday. The cleric praised President Bola Tinubu for promoting the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election, describing himself as a strong advocate of the arrangement.
“Special thanks to my (political) hero, Bola Tinubu, who raised the flag of this political ideology, describing it as a purely Muslim-Muslim coalition,” Jingir said. “I am among the staunch advocates of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and I call on you to come together for Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he added.
Acknowledging opposition to the arrangement from Christians and other religious groups, Jingir questioned whether his advocacy amounted to wrongdoing. “I am aware that some are embittered by this word. However, are there no Christians alike? Are there no Jews? Are there no traditionalists? Have I done anything wrong by merely campaigning for a Muslim-Muslim ticket?” he said, adding: “But as a Muslim, I repeat it, Muslim-Muslim! No going back on this.”
Responding to arguments that Nigeria’s diverse religious makeup warranted a different approach, Jingir questioned whether those making such arguments spoke for non-Muslims, saying: “Some would say ‘it’s a democracy and there are people who are not Muslims,’ are you their spokesperson? But we pray and observe fasting, and it’s said that the majority carries the votes.”
He also urged attendees to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the election, saying: “I urge all of us here to go and get our voters’ cards ready. Let’s show the infidels their limit, who claim they are more populous than us in Nigeria. They are lying!” He attributed the poor electoral performance of past opponents of the Muslim-Muslim arrangement to his advocacy, claiming: “If it wasn’t for my stance on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, somebody would have claimed they are more populous than us. But by the grace of Allah, we defeated them so ignominiously that they did not even make it to the second place in the polls, did they? They came third after all.” He concluded by declaring his support for Muslim-Muslim candidates in 2027 and calling on the Muslim umma to do the same.
The remarks drew significant attention, with critics on social media describing the comments as divisive and inappropriate for Nigeria’s multi-religious society. Reacting on X, Fani-Kayode wrote: “I have immense respect for Sheik 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. 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.”
He insisted that Nigeria was neither exclusively Muslim nor Christian, stating: “Nigeria is NOT a Muslim country and neither is she a Christian country. She is a SECULAR and MULTI-RELIGIOUS state comprising of BOTH Christians and Muslims in equal numbers and that is our strength.”
Fani-Kayode clarified that his own support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027, as in 2023, was based on the candidates’ qualities rather than their religion. “We are supporting a Muslim/Muslim ticket for 2027, as we did in 2023, only because of the calibre, ability, sincerity of purpose, character, utility and electoral strength of our Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and their ability to deliver and not because they are Muslims,” he said. He added that Nigeria could produce a Christian-Christian ticket in the future and urged Nigerians to focus on issues, policies and personalities rather than religion, stating: “We must not allow this issue to divide our ranks. We are NIGERIANS before being Christian or Muslim and we must not only stand as ONE but also go to the polls as ONE.”
The comments generated divided reactions on social media. One X user, @Abdulrasheed_SB, defended equal political rights regardless of religion, writing: “Christian or Muslim, every Nigerian has the right to aspire to the presidency. No religion owns Nigeria. Religious bigotry has no place in our democracy equal rights, equal opportunity, one Nigeria.” Another user, @Sheff4real, argued that while such an approach might be inappropriate elsewhere, it remained politically effective in the North.
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