Islamic cleric Sani Jingir has said he has no regrets over his recent comments advocating for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in Nigeria, despite the backlash his remarks have generated.
Jingir made the comments while speaking at a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples last week. He urged Muslims to vote in a manner that reflects what he described as their numerical strength in the country.
The cleric also claimed that Nigeria is predominantly Muslim and that Muslims demonstrated their numerical strength during the 2023 presidential election by voting massively for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday, Jingir said he stood by his remarks and had no intention of apologising.
“I have absolutely no regrets. I stand firmly by my words and will never apologise. I will continue to advocate for a Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
Jingir explained that his position was based on his religious convictions and was not an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu or former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He described the pulpit as a sacred platform for educating people and said he had a responsibility to communicate what he believed to be the truth to his congregation.
The cleric said he regularly tells his followers that participating in politics is a religious obligation, urging Muslims to engage in the political process based on their beliefs rather than financial inducements from politicians.
“I am not campaigning for Bola Tinubu, I am campaigning for my religion. As I have stated before, my advocacy for a Muslim-Muslim leadership structure is not about Tinubu or Muhammadu Buhari. It is strictly for the sake of Allah,” he said.
Jingir said he had anticipated criticism over his position and would not allow public backlash to discourage him from expressing his views.
He also defended his right to advocate for a Muslim candidate, stressing that his position did not prevent others from voting according to their personal preferences.
“If you know you are speaking the truth, you must never allow public criticism to discourage you, which is why I continuously emphasise this message. I have already mentally prepared for the backlash. Whatever they say about me, I am fully ready to face it,” he said.
“My words carry no harm. I explicitly stated that people are free to vote for whoever they want, while I will personally do what aligns with my beliefs.”
Jingir further claimed that his position had received significant support from members of the Muslim community.
“I swear that I have received immense support from the Muslim community. A vast majority of Muslims agree with this stance,” he said, citing the response he received from attendees during his address in Kano.
