Highly provocative, Fani-Kayode rebuts cleric’s comment on Muslim-Muslim ticket

Sheikh Yahya Jingir, an Islamic cleric, has sparked controversy after advocating for the continued use of Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets in Nigeria's 2027 general elections. The cleric made these remarks at an event attended by several All Progressives Congress governors, including Abba Yusuf and Umar Namadi. Jingir praised President Bola Tinubu for promoting the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential election and reiterated his support for the arrangement.

Responding to critics, Jingir questioned why he was criticized for campaigning for a Muslim-Muslim ticket while Christians and traditionalists also advocated for similar tickets, without facing the same criticism. Nigeria's Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, described Jingir's comments as "highly provocative" and argued that Nigeria should be viewed as a secular and multi-religious state, not a purely Muslim or Christian nation.

Fani-Kayode stated that a Muslim-Muslim ticket should be based on the qualities of the candidates, not their religious affiliation, and urged Nigerians to focus on the policies and personalities rather than religion.