Islamic cleric and leader of the Izala Scholars Council, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has said he has no regrets about his recent support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, despite the criticism his position has attracted.
Jingir made the disclosure during an interview with BBC Hausa monitored by our correspondent on Wednesday.
The cleric said his position was not politically driven or intended to campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but rather reflected what he described as his responsibility as a Muslim.
He maintained that he would continue to support and encourage Muslims to back a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, irrespective of the reactions to his position.
“I will continue to support and encourage the Muslim-Muslim ticket. What they say would not stop me. They started it; at a point, we suffered in their hands,” he alleged.
Jingir had earlier expressed his support for the Muslim-Muslim arrangement during a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples.
At the event, he urged Muslims to vote in a way that would reflect their numerical strength in Nigeria.
The cleric explained that his decision to support the arrangement followed President Tinubu’s decision to “raised the flag” of the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
He argued that, as a Muslim preacher, he had the right to advocate a political arrangement that aligned with his religious convictions.
Jingir also disputed claims that Christians or other religious groups make up a larger proportion of Nigeria’s population than Muslims.
His comments have continued to attract reactions, with some critics describing the position as divisive, while others have defended his right to express his religious and political views.
A political analyst said Jingir’s remarks could strengthen support among Muslim voters who backed the Muslim-Muslim ticket during the 2023 presidential election ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, the analyst cautioned that the position could also alienate some non-Muslim voters who previously supported President Tinubu.