By Usman Sani
Sheikh Yahaya Jingir is an Islamic cleric and leader of one faction of Izalatul Bidi’a wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Jos. The other faction is led by Sheikh Bala Lau, with Sheikh Kabiru Gombe as his lieutenant. Although the two factions have had serious disagreements over the years, they seem to share a common ground in their support for the APC.
The debate over the Muslim-Muslim ticket should not be used as a smokescreen to garner political support. These clerics supported Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo, even though Osinbajo is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, led by Pastor Enoch Adeboye. Their political choices are therefore not solely based on religious considerations.
Bello Galadanci, popularly known as Danbello, has raised questions and made allegations about the financial relationship between Bala’s faction and the government. These claims have sparked significant debate within the Muslim community. Against this backdrop, a rising social media cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Massussuka, has publicly disagreed with both factions, reportedly calling some of them “Yan Maula,” a term he uses to accuse clerics of exploiting religion to seek political favors.
Sheikh Jingir once publicly mentioned receiving two pieces of land from Buhari. He claimed that his children later decided what would happen to the properties. He also stated that one of the lands was worth over one billion naira and challenged people to ask Sheikh Sambo Rigachikun about it. Such statements naturally raise questions about the links between religious influence, political power, and access to public officials.
The controversy deepened when reports circulated that Sheikh Jingir was preaching in his mosque and suddenly campaigned for Bola Tinubu. Some youths reportedly stood up and objected, accusing him of supporting someone they considered an enemy of the North and Islam, and questioning his religious credentials.
Whether these claims on the clerics are accurate or not, the incident highlights the growing disagreement within the Muslim community over the political role of clerics.
There has also been an incident that a prominent Islamic preacher, popularly known as Alkali na Zaria, was sent to Damaturu/Potiskum for Ramadan preaching but was withdrawn by Jingir because of his critical stance toward the Tinubu administration. This decision drew criticism from the Ummah, who believe religious preaching should not be influenced by political considerations.
Sheikh Kabiru Gombe has been associated with stories praising Tinubu’s mother’s alleged sponsorship of pilgrims for Hajj and lesser Hajj. Claims that hundreds of impoverished Muslims are sponsored each year have both gained admiration and invited ridicule, with critics viewing such narratives as attempts to cast Tinubu in a favorable light.
It’s understandable why Sheikh Jingir’s recent comments are being seen by many Muslims as political rather than religious. The Muslim community is not in a contest with Christians over numerical superiority. Islam does not require political support from any individual to demonstrate its strength.
Sheikh Jingir has the right to his political opinion, just as every Nigerian has theirs. However, he should not present his personal political stance as the collective view of Nigerian Muslims. His support for Tinubu is his own choice and should be owned as such, without masquerading as a religious consensus.
The political climate in Northern Nigeria is increasingly turning against Tinubu, and Sheikh Jingir might choose to go against that tide. That is his democratic right, but he does so alone. His words represent Sheikh Yahaya Jingir, not all Muslims in Nigeria.
Usman Sani @Umarsanithecat first published this article on X