A controversy following remarks by Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir in Kano has widened into a dispute over regional Christian marginalization, drawing sharp rebukes from both religious bodies and political figures.
The Kano Gathering and the Muslim-Muslim Ticket Controversy
The friction began when Sheikh Jingir, speaking at an event organized by the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Kano, defended the continued adoption of Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets. He argued that Muslims should not apologize for supporting candidates of their faith given their population and popularity, while also urging followers to unite and leverage their numerical strength for political interests.
A viral video from the gathering showed attendance by the governors of Kano and Jigawa states, Abba Yusuf and Umar Namadi, respectively. The cleric’s remarks included describing Christians as infidels, sparking swift pushback across religious and political lines as the country looks toward the 2027 general elections.
Northern Christian Association Condemns Inflammatory Language
For Christian leaders in Northern Nigeria, the cleric’s public rhetoric brought long-standing grievances out into the open. The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, stated that Jingir’s comments exposed the reality of discrimination that northern Christians have endured for decades.
Hayab pointed out that such sentiments were previously dismissed or kept quiet when community leaders raised concerns over marginalization and religious dominance. He expressed deep alarm that political leaders present at the Kano gathering did not immediately reject or rebuke the language, choosing instead to cheer the preacher.
“There is always a day when you will no longer pretend. We have been living in pretence in Nigeria, lying to ourselves that we are together, lying to each other that there is unity and lying to each other that we are co-citizens.”
Rev. Joseph John Hayab, Northern Christian Association
Hayab emphasized that the core issue extends beyond Muslims supporting Muslim candidates, centering instead on the divisive language deployed against fellow citizens based on religious identity. He recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima did not rely solely on Muslim votes during the 2023 elections, noting that their ticket also secured vital support from Christian-majority states and communities.
Political Fallout and Warnings for 2027
In Abuja, political fallout intensified when Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, warned that the cleric’s rhetoric could severely damage the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election. Fani-Kayode reported receiving over 100 calls and messages from concerned citizens and expressed particular dismay at seeing the Kano State governor openly celebrating the speech.
According to the former minister, the rhetoric risks alienating Nigeria’s sizeable Christian population and feeds directly into international allegations of religious persecution. He cautioned that divisive political mobilization provides opposition parties with ammunition while endangering the electoral coalition required to win national office.
“What he has done is given the opposition something to hold on to and use against us and this is unfortunate.”
Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa
