Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A northern Islamic cleric has issued a powerful and direct warning to Muslim religious leaders across Nigeria, urging them to stop campaigning for President Bola Tinubu by presenting him as a fellow Muslim or by highlighting his Muslim-Muslim ticket, and instead to present his scorecard to Nigerians if they genuinely believe he deserves a second term in 2027. The cleric, whose identity has not been disclosed, made the remarks while addressing his congregation in Hausa, in a video seen by SaharaReporters on Thursday, August 20, 2026. He cautioned that religious leaders who intend to support Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election should instead campaign for him based on his achievements, policies and performance since assuming office, rather than on his religious identity.
The cleric specifically warned Islamic clerics who engage in political discourse against using religion as the primary argument for supporting Tinubu in the next election. "Therefore, I advise the clerics who speak about politics that, this time around, they should not campaign for Tinubu by presenting him as our fellow Muslim or as someone who chose a Muslim as his running mate," he said. "If they want to campaign for Bola Tinubu, this time, he should come forward and let us examine the progress he has made since taking office. If life has become easier under his administration, tell us. If there is any achievement worthy of praise, come out openly and explain it to us."
The cleric challenged Tinubu's supporters to point to specific achievements in critical sectors of the economy and public services rather than relying on the religious identity of the president and his vice president, Kashim Shettima. He listed education, healthcare, agriculture, business and road infrastructure among the areas where the administration should be judged. "If Bola Tinubu has brought progress in education, healthcare, agriculture, businesses, or road infrastructure, or if he has fulfilled the promises he made, including providing the electricity he promised when he assumed office, then come out and tell us about these achievements," he said. "He can be campaigned for based on those accomplishments."
The cleric also distinguished his assessment of the president from his view of state governors, saying that governors could be judged by projects and other developments that residents can physically see in their communities. "As for our governors, we stand with them because we can see the projects and work they are doing. May Allah judge every governor according to the things they have done, which we can see for ourselves," he said. He therefore urged anyone planning to campaign for Tinubu to focus on his administration's record and present tangible evidence of what the president has achieved since taking office.
The cleric's remarks come amid growing political tension ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with some Islamic leaders, including Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, having publicly endorsed the continuation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket and urged Muslims to use their numerical strength to pursue their political interests. Jingir had recently praised President Tinubu for adopting the Muslim-Muslim arrangement in the 2023 election and declared himself a strong supporter of the same-faith ticket, sparking widespread condemnation from Christian leaders and civil society groups. In response, the northern cleric's warning represents a significant counterpoint from within the Islamic community, challenging the narrative that religious identity should be the primary basis for supporting Tinubu's re-election bid.
Speaking about the role of religious leaders in politics, the cleric said politicians and those supporting them must be patient with criticism, insisting that speaking the truth remains a religious obligation. "The politicians should be patient. It is our duty to speak the truth, and Allah has commanded us to speak the truth. We will not stop speaking the truth," he said. He added that religious leaders should not use the president's Muslim identity or the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as a means of persuading Nigerians to vote for him if his supporters cannot point to achievements worthy of another mandate. "And if there is nothing to campaign for him with, then allow others to come forward so that we can try and see whether Allah will give us someone who can do better," he declared.
The cleric's intervention adds a powerful voice to the growing debate over the role of religion in Nigeria's electoral politics. His insistence that Tinubu's supporters must present a scorecard of achievements rather than rely on religious identity reflects a broader public frustration with the president's performance, particularly in areas such as the economy, security and infrastructure. As the 2027 elections draw nearer, the question is whether Tinubu's campaign will heed the cleric's advice and focus on policy and performance, or whether the religious card will continue to be played in a nation that is increasingly divided along faith lines. For now, the cleric has made his position unmistakably clear: if you want to campaign for Tinubu, show Nigerians what he has done – not just who he prays to.
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