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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, NCA, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has said the recent controversial comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, on the 2027 presidential Muslim-Muslim ticket have exposed what Christians in Northern Nigeria have complained about for decades.
The controversy followed Jingir’s remarks at a gathering in Kano, where he defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Muslim Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that Muslims should not apologise for supporting candidates of their faith because of their population and popularity.
In a viral video from the event organised by the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah, JIBWIS, and attended by the governors of Kano and Jigawa states, Abba Yusuf and Umar Namadi, respectively, Jingir also described Christians as “infidels” and urged Muslims to unite and use their numerical strength to pursue their political interests.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning brief on Monday, Hayab said Jingir’s comments had brought into the open sentiments what Christians in the North had experienced for years but were often dismissed whenever concerns were raised about persecution, marginalisation and religious dominance.
Hayab said his major concern was that the comments were made openly in the presence of political leaders who did not immediately reject or rebuke them but were instead seen cheering the preacher.
He said Nigeria’s pretence over allegations of persecution and discrimination against Christians had finally come to an end.
“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.
“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,” he said.
“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.
He challenged the governors at the gathering, the Federal Government and politicians being promoted by the cleric to publicly state their positions on the matter.
“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 maintained that the controversy was not simply about Muslims supporting Muslim candidates but about the language used to address fellow Nigerians because of their faith.
He argued that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were not elected by Muslims alone in 2023, noting that the Muslim Muslim ticket also received support from 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.
“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 insisted that calling fellow Nigerians “infidels” in the course of political mobilisation was unacceptable and warned 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 Christians would not abandon dialogue and engagement with Muslims and other religious groups 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, saying accurate demographic data could help address competing claims of religious numerical strength and dominance.
He argued that Nigeria had previously witnessed political tickets involving candidates of the same faith without generating the current level of tension, adding that the problem was not necessarily the religious identity of candidates but inflammatory rhetoric and attempts to demean other citizens.
Hayab also rejected suggestions that Christians had failed to engage government and other stakeholders on issues affecting their communities.
According to him, Christian leaders regularly meet political party leaders, government officials and security agencies to raise concerns, although they sometimes choose quiet engagement in the interest of peace.
The cleric also warned against a growing pattern of divisive statements, citing another video in which a speaker declared that Christians would be removed from government and other sectors if he became governor of Katsina State.
Hayab said the emergence of such comments within a short period should concern Nigerians and called on authorities to take decisive steps against rhetoric capable of worsening religious tensions.
He also faulted efforts 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.
