Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A prominent Islamic cleric has ignited a fresh wave of religious tensions in Nigeria after declaring that the Muslim-Muslim ticket proves Muslims outnumber Christians in the country and urging his followers to "show the infidels their limit" ahead of future elections. Sheikh Yahya Jingir, the National Chairman of the Council of Ulama of Jama'atu Izalatil Bid'ah Wa'Ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), made the remarks at a campaign event for Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf tagged "Abba Go Again" on August 8, 2026, according to a video widely circulated on social media and reported by SaharaReporters on August 9, 2026. Governor Yusuf was present at the event as the cleric delivered his speech in Hausa.
Jingir, an octogenarian Islamic scholar based in Jos, Plateau State, who serves as the National Chairman of the JIBWIS Council of Ulama, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promoting a Muslim-Muslim ticket and reaffirmed his unwavering support for the arrangement. "Special thanks to my (political) hero, Bola Tinubu who raised the flag of this political ideology, describing it as a purely Muslim-Muslim coalition," Jingir declared. "I am among the staunch advocates of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and I call on you to come together for Muslim-Muslim ticket," he added.
The cleric acknowledged opposition to the idea from Christians and other religious groups but questioned whether his advocacy amounted to wrongdoing. "I am aware that the infidels are embittered by this word. However, are there no Christians alike? Are there no Jews? Are there no traditionalists? Have I done anything wrong by merely campaigning for a Muslim-Muslim ticket?" he asked. "Have I stopped the Christians from their own slogans? Have I stopped traditionalists from a similar campaign?" He reiterated his position emphatically: "But as a Muslim, I repeat it, Muslim-Muslim! No going back on this".
Responding to arguments that Nigeria is a democracy with citizens from different religious backgrounds, Jingir questioned whether those making such arguments represented non-Muslims. "Some would say 'it's a democracy and there are people who are not Muslims,' are you their spokesperson?" he asked. "But we pray and observe fasting, and it's said that the majority carries the votes," he added.
Jingir then urged those at the event to prepare for elections by obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards. "I urge all of us here to go and get our voters' cards ready. Let's show the infidels their limit, who claim they are more populous than us in Nigeria. They are lying!" he declared. He attributed the previous electoral defeat of opponents of the Muslim-Muslim ticket to his position on the issue, saying: "If it wasn't for my stance on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, somebody would have claimed they are more populous than us. But by the grace of Allah, we defeated them so ignominiously that they did not even make it to the second place in the polls, did they? They came third after all". Jingir then declared his support for Muslim-Muslim candidates and called on Muslims to follow suit. "Therefore my vote is for a Muslim-Muslim candidate! What about you, the Muslim umma?"
The cleric also warned his audience against being deceived by what he described as people with a "dark history," before making an allegation about the Maitatsine movement and Christians. "Don't allow anybody to deceive you. People with a dark history, who are responsible for planting a bomb in our mosque in Kano, calling themselves Maitatsine, the so-called Christians in disguise," he said. The Maitatsine movement was a radical Islamic movement that emerged in northern Nigeria decades ago and was associated with violent religious disturbances, particularly during the 1980s.
Jingir's comments have drawn sharp condemnation from Christian organisations and civil society groups, who view his remarks as inflammatory and divisive. The Christian Association of Nigeria has previously described the Muslim-Muslim ticket as insensitive to the country's religious diversity. The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has also warned that such arrangements could further polarise an already fragile nation. In July 2026, the National Christian Elders Forum called on President Tinubu to abandon any plan to seek re-election in 2027 and criticised the Muslim-Muslim ticket as "tone-deaf and grossly insensitive". A coalition of Christian organisations and rights advocates across Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory has also petitioned the US President, warning that retaining a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for 2027 could worsen insecurity for Christians nationwide.
Jingir's remarks also come amid a backdrop of shifting political allegiances. The cleric, who was a vocal backer of the APC's Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 election, had previously withdrawn his support for President Tinubu in December 2025 over concerns about Nigeria's tax laws. He later reaffirmed his conditional support for the President's re-election bid in March 2026, provided Vice President Kashim Shettima remained on the ticket. His latest comments suggest a full return to the fold, aligning himself firmly with the Tinubu administration and the APC's political calculations ahead of 2027.
The controversy surrounding Jingir's speech highlights the deep religious and political fault lines that continue to shape Nigeria's electoral landscape. The Muslim-Muslim ticket, which saw President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, both Muslims, run on the same ticket in 2023, was a subject of intense debate and criticism from Christian leaders who argued it violated the country's unwritten policy of religious balance in presidential tickets. Despite the opposition, the ticket won the election, and discussions about its potential repetition in 2027 have already begun to polarise the nation once again.
As of the time of this report, the Kano State Government and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's office had not issued any official response to Jingir's comments. The Presidency also remained silent on the cleric's remarks. However, the inflammatory nature of Jingir's language—particularly his reference to Christians as "infidels" and his call to "show them their limit"—has raised concerns among observers about the potential for increased religious tensions in the run-up to the 2027 elections. With Nigeria already grappling with security challenges, economic hardship, and deepening social divisions, the cleric's words serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of the nation's religious coexistence and the high stakes of the coming electoral cycle.
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