Sheikh Jingir: I Won’t Apologise For Muslim-Muslim Ticket Advocacy
By Sabiu Abdullahi
Islamic cleric Sani Jingir has defended his call for a Muslim-Muslim leadership ticket in Nigeria, saying he has no regret over the controversial position.
Jingir spoke in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday, days after he urged Muslims at a mass wedding in Kano to use their numerical strength when choosing political leaders.
The mass wedding, organised by the Kano State Government, involved 1,500 couples.
During his address at the event, the cleric had urged Muslims to “vote in a manner that would reflect their numerical strength in the country”.
Jingir said his position was rooted in his religious convictions and was not an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu or former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I have absolutely no regrets. I stand firmly by my words and will never apologise. I will continue to advocate for a Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
The cleric said he regarded the pulpit as a sacred platform for educating Muslims and communicating what he believes to be the truth.
He also said he regularly teaches his congregation that political participation is a religious responsibility.
According to him, Muslims should take part in politics based on their convictions rather than accept financial inducements from politicians.
“I am not campaigning for Bola Tinubu, I am campaigning for my religion,” he said.
“As I have stated before, my advocacy for a Muslim-Muslim leadership structure is not about Tinubu or Muhammadu Buhari. It is strictly for the sake of Allah.
“My additional perspective is that today’s world is filled with propaganda, which fails to let people truly understand the situation they are in. The preaching podium is a sacred space meant for education.”
Jingir said he was aware that his position would attract criticism but insisted that public opposition would not make him abandon his views.
He also maintained that advocating for Muslim candidates did not take away the right of Nigerians to vote for candidates of their choice.
The cleric said his appeal was for Muslims to support a “righteous and better Muslim”, while stressing that corruption and stealing are prohibited in Islam.
“If you know you are speaking the truth, you must never allow public criticism to discourage you, which is why I continuously emphasise this message,” he said.
“I have already mentally prepared for the backlash. Whatever they say about me, I am fully ready to face it.
“My words carry no harm. I explicitly stated that people are free to vote for whoever they want, while I will personally do what aligns with my beliefs.”
Jingir further claimed that his position had received substantial backing from Muslims across the country.
“I swear that I have received immense support from the Muslim community. A vast majority of Muslims agree with this stance,” he added.
“Look at what happened during my address in Kano. I asked the crowd if they stood with Islamic principles, and they overwhelmingly responded in the affirmative.”
His comments have since attracted criticism from some Nigerians.