Fury Erupts Over Sheikh Jingir's Explosive Muslim-Muslim Ticket Remarks
Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir's controversial remarks advocating for Muslim-Muslim political tickets and disparaging Christians have drawn strong condemnation from prominent figures. Prophet Isa El-Buba and Femi Fani-Kayode have both warned that such rhetoric deepens religious divisions and undermines national unity, with Fani-Kayode specifically cautioning about its potential negative impact on President Tinubu's 2027 re-election prospects.
Controversial statements made by Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir, urging Muslims to support Muslim-Muslim political tickets and referring to Christians as infidels, have sparked widespread condemnation across Nigeria. Jingir’s remarks, delivered at a political event in support of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and circulated widely on social media, have been denounced by religious and political leaders alike for their potential to deepen religious divisions.
Prophet Isa El-Buba, General Overseer of El-Buba Outreach Ministries, swiftly reacted to Jingir’s comments in a video. He expressed a heavy heart, emphasizing that such divisive rhetoric is particularly dangerous at a time when northern Nigeria is grappling with severe insecurity, poverty, banditry, and drug abuse. El-Buba questioned the efficacy of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in addressing these critical national challenges, arguing that political leaders should be judged by their ability to improve citizens' lives rather than their religious identity. He called on religious and political leaders to prioritize unity and problem-solving, stating his own history of supporting thousands of Muslims regardless of their faith. El-Buba also urged the Kano State Government to address the inflammatory rhetoric and called on Muslims to reject statements capable of creating hostility towards Christians, underscoring that Nigeria's unity supersedes individual or political interests.
Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, also weighed in, describing Sheikh Jingir’s comments as 'highly provocative' and warning that they could have severe consequences for national cohesion. Jingir had praised President Bola Tinubu for adopting the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election and declared himself a staunch advocate for its continued adoption ahead of the 2027 general elections. He made these remarks at an event attended by several All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, including Kano Governor Abba Yusuf and Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi, and acknowledged Christian opposition while questioning if his advocacy was wrong. Jingir also urged Muslims to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, making further disparaging remarks about those he described as “infidels.”
Fani-Kayode, while respecting Jingir, strongly disagreed with what he termed