*When Pulpits Become Podiums: Nigeria Can’t Afford More Religious Politics*


 

*NEXVIEW NEWSPAPER*  

*Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | Editorial*  


*When Pulpits Become Podiums: Nigeria Can’t Afford More Religious Politics*  

_By Sarki Halima Musa_


Nigeria knows this script too well. A cleric speaks. A ticket is defended in the name of faith. The other side pushes back. Headlines explode. Then institutions rush to do damage control. That was exactly what happened over the weekend when Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, National Chairman of JIBWIS, used a mass wedding in Kano to defend the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and urged Muslims to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because he shares the same faith with his running mate. His comments drew criticism from Christian leaders, civil society groups and activists who called them divisive. In response, Dr. Ahmad Gumi wrote on Facebook that Jingir should be "excused" because he speaks from Plateau where Muslims face "excessive bigotry." But his core message was clear: "In a multi-religious entity, religion should not be dragged into the quagmire of dirty politics."


The honesty in Gumi’s statement is what’s missing in most of these debates. He also admitted that "the opposition is not free from using religion to get votes." The problem is not faith itself. The problem is weaponizing it. Nigeria is not a theocracy. We are over 200 million people — Christians, Muslims, traditionalists and others — living together. When elections turn into sermons and sermons turn into campaign rallies, we don’t get better governance. What we get is deeper division, more distrust, and a politics that rewards loyalty over competence.


Jingir is entitled to his convictions. Gumi is entitled to his caution. And JNI Plateau was right to distance itself from the fake report claiming it endorsed Jingir’s position. But the bigger question is: why do we keep going back to this well every election cycle? Because it works. Religion mobilizes people. It reduces complex choices to "us vs them." It is cheaper than policy debates and faster than track records. Yet the cost comes later in division and weakened institutions. As we head toward 2027, the role of religious leaders in public life must be examined, not just repeated.


Dr. Gumi’s call should not be dismissed as naïve. It should be taken seriously. Leaders on all sides must decide what kind of country they want to campaign in — one where your PVC matters more than your prayer mat, or one where every election risks reopening old wounds. If the pulpit becomes a permanent podium, we all lose, regardless of which side we are on. Faith should guide conscience, not dictate votes. Nigeria’s diversity is not a problem to manage during elections. It is the very reason we must keep religion out of partisan politics.



 #FaithAndPolitics #OneNigeria #Nigeria2027

#NEXVIEWTV #NEXVIEWNews #NEXVIEW

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