Muslim-Muslim ticket: How Jingir’s comment is endangering Tinubu’s chances in 2027 — Fani-Kayode

Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has warned that comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Jingir, in support of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in 2027.

Fani-Kayode said Jingir’s remarks were capable of alienating Christian voters and giving the opposition an issue to exploit ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He made the comments in a Facebook post on Monday following Jingir’s remarks at an event in Kano, where the cleric called for the continued adoption of Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets and described himself as a strong advocate of the arrangement.

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Fani-Kayode said he received more than 100 calls and messages from concerned Christians and Muslims following the publication of Jingir’s comments.

“There is only one thing worse and that saddened me more than what he said and that is to have seen my friend and brother, the Governor of Kano State, cheering him on and celebrating it,” he said.

He said religious issues should not be exploited for political purposes, warning that divisive rhetoric could have serious consequences for the country.

“We will not keep quiet and watch our faith being dragged all over the floor because of politics. Matters of faith and salvation are far more important than anything we see or get in this world.

“Politics and earthly power come and go but faith and the afterlife is eternal. This divisive rhetoric has to stop and we should stop playing with fire,” he said.

Fani-Kayode argued that such comments were particularly dangerous in a country with a large Christian population and amid existing international allegations concerning religious persecution in Nigeria.

“You do not talk like that in a country with over 120 million Christians. This is especially so when we are already being falsely accused of Christian genocide and of harbouring an agenda to Islamise the country and do away with all Christians by some of our American friends,” he said.

According to him, Jingir’s remarks could reinforce such perceptions and ultimately hurt the electoral prospects of the ruling party.

“Jingir is not only feeding into that false narrative with his reckless words, but he is also endangering the chances of our candidates in the 2027 presidential election because in order for us to win, we need BOTH Muslim AND Christian votes.

“What he has done is given the opposition something to hold on to and use against us and this is unfortunate,” he said.

Fani-Kayode said Christians would be unlikely to support a political party they believed regarded members of their faith as “infidels”, adding that several Muslims across party lines had already condemned Jingir’s remarks.

He stressed that Jingir did not speak for the APC or represent the views of the majority of Nigerian Muslims.

“Jingir does not represent the feelings of the APC and neither does he speak for us. He only speaks for himself,” he said.

The former minister urged the cleric to exercise restraint if he chooses to participate in political discourse and avoid statements that could offend members of other faiths.

He also called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to invite and caution Jingir over his comments, warning against rhetoric that could heighten religious tension.

Fani-Kayode said his support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027 was based on the competence and qualities of the candidates, rather than their religion.

He said, “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 added that Nigeria could have a Christian-Christian ticket in the future, stressing the need to separate religion from political competition.

“We must leave religion out of politics and consider issues, policies and personalities instead,” he said.

Fani-Kayode further maintained that Jingir did not represent the views of the majority of Nigerian Muslims, describing his position as that of a minority.

He said the cleric’s remarks had caused damage to the political image of President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima and urged him to apologise to Christians.

“Jingir has done immense damage to President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima by talking in this way and I suspect that he is secretly working against them,” Fani-Kayode said.

He urged Jingir to apologise to Christians and Nigerians generally, while calling on him to embrace what he described as “the path of peace, civility and reconciliation” in the interest of the country.