Cleric's 'infidels' remark for Christians draws condemnation ahead of 2027 elections
An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Jingir, has sparked condemnation for describing Christians as "infidels" while advocating for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2027 elections. Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, stated that the people of Kano do not support these remarks. Rev Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Northern Christian Association, accused the cleric of exposing the religious discrimination faced by Christians in Northern Nigeria. Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju warned that such rhetoric could deepen religious divisions and threaten national unity. Jingir made these comments at a political gathering in Kano, attended by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and Jigawa State counterpart Umar Namadi, among others. He reiterated his support for Muslim-Muslim tickets, commending President Bola Tinubu for the 2023 election arrangement and urging Muslims to unite and use their numerical strength. Kwankwaso expressed concern over the divisive nature of the comments, emphasizing the responsibility of leaders to foster unity. Hayab highlighted that the incident revealed the reality of religious persecution and challenged attending governors, the Federal Government, and politicians supported by Jingir to publicly state their positions. He stressed that the issue is not about the right to support candidates of one's faith, but the use of derogatory language against fellow Nigerians. Adeyanju described Jingir's comments as divisive an
