• I stand by my words, says cleric
•Listen to bishops, stop attacks on clerics, Kwankwaso National Network tells Tinubu
•Says bishops echoed pains of millions, urges dialogue not confrontation
Boniface Okoro in Umuahia and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano
The vice presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has faulted comments by Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir advocating a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election, describing them as divisive and detrimental to national unity.
Kwankwaso, in a statement in Kano, said he was “deeply concerned” by remarks made by the national chairman of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah, JIBWIS, at an event in Kano at the weekend.
Kwankwaso said, “At this critical moment in our nation’s history, statements that promote division and disunity must be firmly discouraged.
“It is particularly troubling to hear such rhetoric from a religious leader of Sheikh Jingir’s stature and influence.”
The former defence minister stressed that Kano people did not support narratives capable of polarising the country along religious lines.
“Let it be clearly stated: the good people of Kano do not endorse or support these divisive remarks,” Kwankwaso stated.
He added that political and religious leaders had a responsibility to promote peace and reconciliation.
He stated, “We must not lend our voices to utterances capable of undermining the very foundation of our nationhood.”
Kwankwaso also spoke governance, saying Nigerians would use the 2027 polls to judge the current administration.
He stated, “The 2027 general election will be an opportunity for Nigerians to reward good governance with resounding support and to reject poor performance at the polls.
“This administration has earned the latter.”
However, Sheikh Jingir insisted he stood by his position.
In a BBC Hausa interview monitored in Kano, the Izala leader said he had no regrets supporting the Tinubu-Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Speaking at a recent Hisba mass wedding ceremony in Kano, Sheikh Jingir had said his support for Muslim-Muslim tickets predated the emergence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He defended his position, saying, “I stand on my position that Nigerians should vote massively for Muslim-Muslim tickets.”
Jingir said as a citizen, he was entitled to his political preference, just as Christians were free to support candidates of their choice.
The cleric said his position was shaped by what he described as historical marginalisation of Muslims, citing his experience in Plateau State.
“In my state, where we were before its creation, Christians said we did not belong and that we should be expelled,” he said.
Jingir further alleged that past electoral processes produced disparities in the distribution of political offices, which he believed justified Muslims seeking representation at the top.
Listen to Bishops, Stop Attacks on Clerics, Rabiu Kwakwanso’s Group Advises Tinubu
Kwankwaso National Network (KNN), South East chapter, called on President Bola Tinubu to heed the message of the Catholic Bishops rather than allow aides to attack them over their assessment of the state of the nation.
In a statement by its Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Ukpa Iro Ukpai, the group condemned “unwarranted verbal attacks and intimidation” of the bishops following their recent comments on governance and worsening hardship in Nigeria.
According to KNN, the bishops “deserve commendation, not condemnation, for speaking truth to power” at a time when millions of Nigerians are battling economic hardship, rising cost of living, unemployment and insecurity.
“Their intervention, in our considered view, reflects the mood of millions of Nigerians who are struggling daily with the harsh economic realities in the country and yearning for meaningful changes in governance,” the statement said.
The group faulted what it called the presidency’s habit of “attacking the messengers” instead of engaging the substance of the concerns.
KNN stated, “Democracy does not confer immunity from criticism on those in government. Indeed, the strength of democracy lies in the ability of leaders to listen to opposing views, especially when such views come from respected voices representing large sections of the society,”
It stressed that the Catholic bishops were not political opponents of Tinubu but “patriotic Nigerians and spiritual leaders who have a responsibility to speak on issues affecting the welfare, dignity and future of the people they serve”.
KNN urged the president to restrain his aides and supporters from further verbal attacks and, instead, invite the bishops for “constructive dialogue”.
Ukpai added, “Whether the presidency agrees with their assessment or not, the appropriate response should be engagement, clarification and policy action — not verbal attacks by sycophantic aides or supporters deceiving the president with empty praises.”