Bello Gwadabawa
A Sokoto-based Islamic scholar, Prof. Mansur Ibrahim Sokoto, has warned religious leaders against supporting President Bola Tinubu on the basis of religion, saying the Muslim-Muslim ticket that brought him to power in 2023 has not delivered tangible benefits for Muslims or the northern region.
The cleric spoke on Friday during his Eid sermon in Sokoto, delivering a scathing assessment of the administration nearly two years into office.
“Tinubu won the 2023 election using the Muslim-Muslim ticket, but today Muslims are suffering under his government,” he said. “It is clear he is not governing with the interests of Muslims or Islam in mind.”
Prof. Mansur added that the northern region, which overwhelmingly backed the ticket, has not received adequate attention in development or policy focus.
“The North, which is predominantly Muslim, is not his priority. What he appears to prioritise is Lagos, and even there, his political alliances cut across religious lines,” he said.
He urged Islamic clerics to base their political advocacy on achievements rather than religious sentiment.
“Anyone who wants to campaign for Tinubu should tell Nigerians what he has done—whether in education, healthcare, agriculture, business, the economy, or electricity,” Prof. Mansur said. “But if there is nothing to point to, then Nigerians should be free to explore other options in the hope of finding relief.”
His remarks come amid growing debates over the role of religion in Nigerian politics, particularly after the backlash and high expectations that followed the adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the last general elections.
