Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to invite and caution Sheikh Yahaya Jingir over comments he described as divisive and capable of inflaming religious tensions in Nigeria.
Fani-Kayode made the call on Monday while reacting to remarks reportedly made by Jingir at a gathering in Kano, where the cleric urged Muslims to mobilise their votes and support the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
Expressing concern over the comments, Fani-Kayode said he received numerous calls and messages from both Christians and Muslims who were worried about the development.
He also criticised the reaction of the Kano State Governor, who he said appeared to cheer and celebrate the cleric’s remarks.
According to Fani-Kayode, religious matters should not be exploited for political purposes, stressing that faith and salvation were more important than political power.
He warned that divisive rhetoric could deepen religious tensions in a country with large Christian and Muslim populations.
Fani-Kayode further argued that Jingir’s comments could damage the electoral prospects of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election, noting that the party would require support from both Christians and Muslims to win.
He stressed that Jingir does not represent the APC or speak for the party, but only for himself.
“Jingir does not represent the feelings of the APC and neither does he speak for us. He only speaks for himself,” Fani-Kayode said.
The former minister urged Jingir to refrain from using inflammatory language, particularly when discussing religion and politics, and called on him to respect the beliefs of Nigerians of different faiths.
Fani-Kayode also rejected the description of Nigeria as a Muslim country, describing the nation as a secular and multi-religious state comprising Christians and Muslims.
He said his support for the Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 and 2027 elections was based on the “calibre, ability, sincerity of purpose, character, utility and electoral strength” of the candidates rather than their religious identities.
He added that Nigeria could have a Christian-Christian presidential ticket in the future, arguing that political decisions should be based on policies, personalities and competence rather than religion.
Fani-Kayode urged Jingir to apologise to Christians and the Church in Nigeria and called for greater restraint, peace, civility and reconciliation in public discourse.
He concluded by urging the cleric to avoid rhetoric that could further divide Nigerians, warning that the country must not be pushed towards a religious crisis.
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