Tinubu, Shettima won votes beyond Muslims —Northern Christian

The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph Hayab, has rejected claims that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were elected by Muslims alone, describing such arguments as divisive and dangerous to national unity.

Hayab spoke while reacting to comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, who recently defended the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections and urged Muslims to use their numerical strength to pursue their political interests.

Jingir, in a viral video, also referred to Christians as “infidels” while addressing Muslims, a remark Hayab described as derogatory and unacceptable in a multi-religious country.

Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, the NCA chairman argued that the 2023 presidential election demonstrated that the Tinubu-Shettima ticket received votes from Christian-majority communities and states.

“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 states that are mostly Christian. The man won in those states,” Hayab said.

He said Christians had raised concerns about the Muslim-Muslim ticket not because they opposed the religious identity of political candidates, but because they wanted fairness, inclusion and national cohesion.

“We only wanted understanding and togetherness, as enshrined in our Constitution,” he said.

Hayab said Jingir’s description of Christians as “infidels” was particularly troubling because it appeared to reduce a political disagreement to a religious confrontation.

“If you respect me, you do not come out publicly and make such a derogatory statement against me, against my faith, just for politics,” he said.

The NCA chairman said the remarks had also revived concerns among Christians in northern Nigeria over alleged religious discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion from political and public life.

He expressed concern that the cleric reportedly made the comments in the presence of political leaders who did not publicly challenge him.

“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,” Hayab said.

He challenged the governors, the Federal Government and politicians being promoted by Jingir to publicly state their positions on the remarks.

“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 fundamentally about Muslims supporting Muslim candidates, arguing that Nigerians had previously participated in elections involving same-faith tickets.

He said the greater concern was the use of inflammatory language and attempts to portray citizens of another faith as inferior or unworthy of political participation.

The NCA chairman also rejected claims that Christian leaders had failed to engage government over issues affecting their communities.

According to him, Christian leaders regularly engage political leaders, government officials and security agencies, although some discussions are conducted privately to avoid escalating tensions.

He urged Nigerians to reject divisive rhetoric, warning that inflammatory religious statements could worsen existing security and social challenges.

“Nigeria needs unity. Nigeria needs togetherness,” he said.

Hayab also renewed his call for religion to be captured in Nigeria’s national census, arguing that reliable demographic data could help settle recurring disputes over claims of religious population strength.

He said the country was already facing insecurity and economic hardship and should not allow religious rhetoric to deepen divisions among citizens.

“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,” Hayab said.

“Instead, they are busy coming up with divisive rhetoric, insulting fellow citizens and smiling while someone insults other citizens. It is a shame.”