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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has condemned comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, in support of President Bola Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Jingir had, at a gathering in Kano, defended the continued support of Muslim candidates by Muslims, arguing that Muslims should not apologise for supporting candidates of their faith because of their numerical strength and popularity.
The cleric also described Christians as “infidels” and urged Muslims to unite and use their numerical strength to pursue their political interests.
The event, organised by the Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), was attended by the governors of Kano and Jigawa states, Abba Yusuf and Umar Namadi.
Reacting to the comments during Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, Hayab said the remarks had exposed what Christians in Northern Nigeria had complained about for decades concerning religious discrimination and marginalisation.
He said the comments were particularly disturbing because they were made publicly in the presence of political leaders who, according to him, did not immediately reject or condemn them.
“There is always a day when you will no longer pretend. We have been living in pretence in Nigeria, lying to ourselves that we are together, lying to each other that there is unity and lying to each other that we are co-citizens.
“But for us as Christians in the North, we know these preachers have always been there for all these decades. So, I think Sheikh Jingir just found an opportunity to open up what has been happening in secret,” Hayab said.
He added: “The man did not just say it in his room. The man said it in the presence of three governors, and they were all smiling.
“An action that would have been frowned upon, an action that would have been rebuked, an action that would have been rejected instantly.”
Hayab said the incident had also renewed questions over claims of religious persecution and discrimination in the country.
“Some months ago, we had controversy in this Nigerian debate around whether Christian genocide is happening and whether Christians have been persecuted. Many people said, ‘No, that is not true.’
“Today, Nigerians, you do not need to ask another question unless you want to pretend. So, the pretence has ended. We can see it clearly. We can hear it clearly,” he said.
The NCA chairman challenged the governors present at the gathering, the Federal Government and politicians being promoted by the cleric to publicly state their positions on the comments.
“We are waiting to see the reaction of those governors. Whatever stopped them from reacting that day is another different thing. We are going to see what they are going to say.
“Then, we will see the reaction of the Federal Government. We will see the reaction of those candidates whom the man is campaigning for, whether they like such,” he said.
Hayab stressed that the controversy was not about Muslims supporting candidates of their faith, but about the language used to mobilise support and the description of fellow Nigerians on the basis of religion.
He argued that President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were not elected solely by Muslims in the 2023 presidential election, noting that the ticket also received support in Christian-majority states and communities.
“Will you tell me that the current Muslim-Muslim ticket that you claim to have put was only elected by Muslims? No, sir. I can count names of states that are mostly Christian. The man won in those states.
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“So, it was not just the Muslims that voted for him. Even though we had concerns and advised that there should be a balance for fairness, we were not going to war to install anybody or anything.
“We only wanted understanding and togetherness, as enshrined in our Constitution,” Hayab said.
He described the use of the term “infidels” against fellow Nigerians in political mobilisation as unacceptable, warning that religious rhetoric could further deepen divisions in the country.
“If you respect me, you do not come out publicly and make such a derogatory statement against me, against my faith, just for politics.
“It is no longer politics. It is the reality that has been going on on the ground,” he said.
Hayab, however, said Christian leaders would continue to engage Muslims, government officials and other stakeholders through dialogue despite the controversy.
“We will not stop the dialogue. We will talk with honest people and clerics. We will talk with people who understand things rightly.
“But we should also call out people like Jingir and others. And when we call them out, government can now act responsibly and know that these people are creating bigger problems for us than uniting Nigeria.
“Nigeria needs unity. Nigeria needs togetherness,” he said.
The NCA chairman also renewed his call for religion to be included in Nigeria’s national census, arguing that accurate demographic data could help address competing claims over religious population and numerical strength.
He said Nigeria had previously witnessed political arrangements involving candidates of the same faith without generating the level of tension currently associated with the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
According to him, the major concern is not necessarily the religious identity of political candidates but inflammatory rhetoric and attempts to demean citizens because of their faith.
Hayab also rejected suggestions that Christian leaders had failed to engage the government and other stakeholders over issues affecting their communities.
He said Christian leaders regularly met political party leaders, government officials and security agencies to raise concerns, although they sometimes preferred quiet engagement in the interest of peace.
The NCA chairman further warned against what he described as a growing pattern of divisive religious statements, citing another video in which a speaker allegedly declared that Christians would be removed from government and other sectors if he became governor of Katsina State.
He said the emergence of such comments within a short period should concern Nigerians and urged authorities to take steps against rhetoric capable of worsening religious tensions.
Hayab also faulted attempts to restrict religious preaching, arguing that the Constitution guarantees Nigerians the freedom to practise and propagate their faith.
“Nigerians are suffering from hunger. There is insecurity in Nigeria. Our people are not reminding themselves to do what is right to secure Nigeria and to contribute to nation building.
“Instead, they are busy coming up with divisive rhetoric, insulting fellow citizens and smiling while someone insults other citizens,” Hayab said.
