A prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, has urged Nigerians not to make elections a religious issue, saying voters should focus on electing leaders who can deliver good governance.
Daurawa made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview with DW, monitored by DAILY POST, while reacting to prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Jingir’s comments expressing support for the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, politics should be about competence and service rather than the religious identity of candidates.
“It shouldn’t be about religion but who is going to work, what is the person capable of doing, and what has he done?” he said.
The cleric argued that Nigeria’s democratic system is not based on religion and that the country’s Constitution does not recognise any political party as either Islamic or Christian.
“Is there any party registered by INEC as an Islamic party or a Christian party or has any religious manifesto?” he said.
Daurawa said Nigerians should be free to vote for any candidate, whether the ticket is Muslim-Muslim, Christian-Christian, Christian-Muslim or Muslim-Christian.
He added that no one should insult or attack others because of the religious composition of a political ticket.
“Nigerians have sense. They should judge candidates by what they will do and what they have done, not by religion,” he said.
The scholar called on young people to reject drug abuse, stay away from violence and weapons, and participate peacefully in the electoral process.
2027: Vote for competence, not religion – Sheikh Daurawa counters Jingir