The Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir’s support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2027 as “highly provocative”, warning that such comments could worsen religious divisions in the country.
Jingir had, in a video circulating on social media, urged Muslims to support the continuation of Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The cleric made the remarks at an event attended by some All Progressives Congress governors, including Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, and Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi.
Jingir commended President Bola Tinubu for adopting the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 election and declared his support for the arrangement.
Reacting to the remarks in a post on X on Sunday, Fani-Kayode said he respected Jingir but disagreed with what he described as “extremist rhetoric”.
“I have immense respect for Sheik Jingir but I am constrained to point out that the extremist rhetoric he has indulged in here is most unhelpful and neither is it true,” Fani-Kayode wrote.
He warned that the comments could further inflame religious tensions in the country.
“Worse of all is the fact that it is highly provocative. Kindly take note that it is a very slippery and dangerous slope to take and is best avoided,” he added.
Fani-Kayode maintained that Nigeria is neither a Muslim nor Christian country but a secular and multi-religious nation comprising people of different faiths.
“Nigeria is NOT a Muslim country and neither is she a Christian country. She is a SECULAR and MULTI-RELIGIOUS state comprising of BOTH Christians and Muslims in equal numbers and that is our strength,” he said.
The ambassador-designate also explained that his support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027 was based on the competence and character of the candidates rather than their religious backgrounds.
He said political decisions should be based on the “calibre, ability, sincerity of purpose, character, utility and electoral strength” of candidates and their capacity to deliver good governance.
Fani-Kayode added that Nigeria could have a Christian-Christian presidential ticket in the future, stressing that political discourse should focus on policies, competence and national development rather than religious identity.
He urged Nigerians not to allow religious differences to divide the country ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We are NIGERIANS before being Christian or Muslim and we must not only stand as ONE but also go to the polls as ONE,” he said.
