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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Muslim-Muslim ticket: Ex-Imo gov candidate condemns cleric’s ‘infidels’ comment

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A former Imo State governorship candidate, Uche Nwosu, condemned a cleric's use of the word "infidels" in relation to Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets.
  • The cleric, Sheikh Sani Jingir, advocated for Muslim-Muslim tickets and urged supporters to get PVCs to "show the infidels their limit."
  • Nwosu called the remarks divisive and urged religious leaders to promote tolerance, while also suggesting government action against utterances threatening national unity.

A former governorship candidate in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has strongly condemned a prominent Plateau-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Jingir, for using the term "infidels" in his advocacy for Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets. Nwosu described the cleric's remarks as divisive and potentially harmful to religious harmony in Nigeria.

Let's show the infidels their limit, who claim they are more populous than us in Nigeria. They are lying!

— Sheikh Sani JingirThe cleric made the controversial remark while advocating for Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets and urging his audience to get their voter cards.

Jingir, speaking at an event attended by APC governors, reiterated his support for Muslim-Muslim tickets, referencing the 2023 election arrangement. He also urged the audience to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, stating, "Let's show the infidels their limit, who claim they are more populous than us in Nigeria. They are lying!"

Jingir's utterances were capable of creating unnecessary religious tension and undermining efforts to promote unity, peace and harmonious coexistence among Nigerians.

— Uche NwosuThe former Imo governorship candidate criticized the cleric's statement.

Reacting to the statement, Nwosu asserted that such utterances are unacceptable and undermine national unity efforts. "Jingir's utterances were capable of creating unnecessary religious tension and undermining efforts to promote unity, peace and harmonious coexistence among Nigerians," he said. He stressed that no religion should be used to insult or degrade another faith, emphasizing Nigeria's diversity.

No religion should be used as a basis for insulting, demonising or degrading another faith. Such statements do not serve the interest of Nigeria and should be condemned by all well-meaning citizens.

— Uche NwosuNwosu emphasized the need for religious tolerance and mutual respect in Nigeria.

Nwosu urged religious leaders to foster tolerance and mutual respect, warning against statements that deepen mistrust between Christians and Muslims. He called on the Federal Government to take appropriate action against public utterances that violate the law or threaten national unity, stating, "The government should not ignore statements that have the potential to threaten our peace and national cohesion."

The government should not ignore statements that have the potential to threaten our peace and national cohesion. Where such utterances viola

— Uche NwosuNwosu called for government intervention regarding statements that threaten national unity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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