Prominent Islamic leader stands by decision to support same-faith presidential pairing without apology

Sheikh Muhammad Jingir, Chairman of the Ulama Council of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah, maintains that he has no regrets about advocating for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, a stance he has held long before President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

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Jingir made this statement in a BBC interview published on Wednesday, amid criticism of his recent comments, in which he called for the continued adoption of a Muslim-Muslim arrangement and urged Muslims to vote in a manner that would demonstrate their population size, during a special wedding reception for 1,500 couples sponsored by the Kano State Government.

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Clarifying his position, Jingir emphasized that his support for a Muslim-Muslim ticket was not exclusive to President Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and that he anticipated criticism over his comments, expecting any politician who shared his views on the difficulties faced by Muslims in Nigeria to support his stance.

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Jingir stated, "I am not promoting Tinubu, I am promoting Islam… I am not promoting Tinubu’s Islam… so this is my profit," highlighting his primary motivation as promoting the Islamic faith.

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The cleric believes that Nigerian Christians should encourage their followers to vote for candidates they believe in, just as he has the right to advise Muslims on how to exercise their voting rights, and sees no reason why his comments would provoke anyone.

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Jingir argued that he had merely advised people on what he believed was right, and that everyone is entitled to an opinion, saying "I have the freedom to say that Muslims should be elected, and to say that Islam should be practiced".

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His position on the Muslim-Muslim ticket is based on the religious principle that "a Muslim is a brother to a Muslim", and he claims to have evidence to support his stance, which he believes he should continue to speak about.

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Jingir said, "If a person knows he is telling the truth, then he should not be silent about any slander and noise, he should keep repeating it… that is why I keep repeating it," demonstrating his resolve to continue advocating for his position.

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Despite anticipating criticism, Jingir remains unconcerned, saying "I don’t even care," and reiterating that he has no regrets and will continue to defend what he considers a good Muslim leader, regardless of who is in power.

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Jingir’s comments have sparked reactions from various individuals, including the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, and Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode.

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Jingir was among the prominent Islamic scholars who supported Tinubu’s presidential bid ahead of the 2023 election after he selected Shettima, a fellow Muslim, as his running mate, resulting in Nigeria’s first president and vice-president of the same faith since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

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The Muslim-Muslim arrangement has continued to generate debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Jingir’s comments contributing to the ongoing discussion.