Islamic cleric Sheikh Muhammad Jingir has defended his continued advocacy for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, saying he has no regrets despite widespread criticism of his recent comments.
Jingir, chairman of the Ulama Council of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah, said his position predates President Bola Tinubu’s administration and is rooted in his religious convictions rather than personal support for any particular politician.
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The cleric recently renewed his call for a Muslim-Muslim political arrangement during a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples. He urged Muslims to vote in a manner that, in his view, demonstrates their numerical strength in Nigeria.
Jingir subsequently told the BBC that he was not promoting Tinubu personally but advocating what he described as an Islamic position. He maintained that Christians were equally free to encourage their followers to support candidates based on their beliefs, arguing that he also had the right to advise Muslims on voting.
He acknowledged that his remarks would attract criticism but insisted that the backlash would not change his position. According to him, he would continue advocating for Muslim leaders and a Muslim-Muslim ticket whenever he believed the arrangement served the interests of Muslims.
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Jingir’s comments have intensified an already sensitive debate over religion and political representation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, particularly following the emergence of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima as Nigeria’s first same-faith presidential ticket since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
The controversy has centred not only on Jingir’s support for a same-faith ticket but also on the language used in presenting his argument, prompting criticism from political and civic figures.
