Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdurrahman Abubakar Azzamfari, has publicly debunked the widely reported endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term by more than 500 northern Islamic scholars, describing the claim as false and a manipulation of a non-political intellectual gathering.
The controversy began when the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaka Darma, while reading the forum's resolution at a meeting in Dutse, Jigawa State, announced that over 500 Islamic scholars, preachers and clerics from the 19 northern states and the FCT had passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu and called on Nigerians to support his re-election bid in 2027.
However, Sheikh Azzamfari, who was present at the meeting, has dismissed the claim entirely. In a viral video message, he said: “The talk that 500 scholars at the meeting agreed to endorse and re-elect Tinubu is not true. That was not discussed with us at all”. He also denied reports that the scholars gave “100 per cent” support to the President’s second-term bid.
According to the cleric, the gathering was the fifth in a series organised by the 'Muslim Intellectual Forum' since April, and participants were initially told the meetings were non-political. He said the forum was presented to them as a platform to help government and support citizens facing hardship, and scholars were asked to advise the government on mistakes and how to correct them. He disclosed that 12 scholars were selected from each northern state to attend the Jigawa meeting.
Sheikh Azzamfari expressed deep disappointment with how the Jigawa meeting was conducted, revealing that after governors spoke, journalists were sent out, and later called back and told that the scholars had endorsed Tinubu's re-election. “After the governors spoke, journalists were sent out. Later they were called back and told that we endorsed Tinubu’s re-election,” he remarked. He added that if the forum truly wanted their endorsement, they should have first listened to their advice and implemented it. “If they want us to support Tinubu, let them hear our views and suggestions, and let us see them carried out in truth,” he said. He also insisted that any agreement made between them and the government should be in writing and given to them as evidence before they could publicly back Tinubu.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has also faulted the endorsement, questioning the decision by more than 500 Islamic scholars and clerics to endorse the President. The party's Jigawa chapter described the endorsement as inappropriate, arguing that religious leaders should not allow political affiliations to compromise their independence. The ADC urged Islamic scholars and clerics to preserve their independence and avoid becoming tools for political mobilisation.
The reported endorsement had been seen as a major political development, with the gathering involving six northern APC governors and Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau. However, Sheikh Azzamfari's public denial has raised serious questions about the authenticity of the endorsement and the manipulation of religious leaders for political purposes.
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