Nigeria: Sheikh Jingir's Provocative Utterances

What the report says

A sermon by Nigerian Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir has triggered criticism after he publicly backed a Muslim-Muslim political ticket and said Muslims form the majority in Nigeria. According to This Day, the remarks were delivered at an event in Kano and later spread in a video that circulated online. The article says some All Progressives Congress governors were present, including Abba Yusuf of Kano and Umar Namadi of Jigawa, though it is not clear what role they had in the exchange.

Jingir’s comments focused on support for President Bola Tinubu’s political approach and on the 2023 election outcome, which he linked to his position on Muslim-Muslim candidacies. He urged Muslims to support similar candidates. Critics said the speech was divisive in a country with deep religious diversity.

The report also notes that Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa, condemned the remarks on social media, calling them provocative and warning that such rhetoric could inflame tensions. He also described Nigeria as a secular, multi-religious state.

The episode matters because it touches on a sensitive issue in Nigerian politics: the role of religion in elections and public life. With the next general election still ahead, comments framed around religious identity can sharpen debate over inclusion, representation and political mobilization.