Over 1,000 northern Islamic clerics have urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon his 2027 re-election bid, pointing to killings, kidnappings, and acts of terrorism throughout the country, especially in the Northwest.
This call was made in a communiqué released at the close of a national conference titled “An Assessment of the State of the Nation under President Tinubu and the 2027 General Elections,” which took place in Kano State on Sunday.
The clerics organized the conference under the banner of “Ko Da Naka,” a group that describes itself as committed to “the Struggle to Promote Good Governance and Community Development,” working alongside AFAQ Educational Foundation.
Among the clerics who delivered papers at the conference were Dr. Abdulmuɗɗalib Ahmad Giɗaɗo, Prof. Muhd Muslim Ibrahim, Sheikh Kabir Bashir Abdulhamid, Dr. Aminu Isma’il Sagagi, Dr. Najibullah Abdallah Nuhu, and Sheikh Abdurrazaq Uba Musa.
The others included Sheikh Musa Muhd Ɗan Kwano, Barr. El-Zubair, Dr. Yahuza Getso, Prof. Ibrahim Siraj Adhama, Dr. Umar Dokaji, and Sheikh Muhd Sani Khamis (Abu Haisam).
“Alternatively, the President should refrain from contesting the 2027 election. If he refuses to do so, it is incumbent upon citizens to reject his candidacy and allow those whom they believe can provide better leadership,” the communiqué said.
The communiqué observed that after lectures and thorough discussions on security, the economy, the emigration of skilled professionals from the country, the role of religious scholars in standing for truth, and the 2027 general elections, the roughly 1,000 conference participants arrived at a conclusion.
The clerics urged the government to act urgently to tackle insecurity in the North-West and other affected regions of the country.
They warned that if the administration did not act, citizens should reject Tinubu’s candidacy and give a chance to leaders they believe can offer better leadership.
They also criticized the government’s economic policies, which they claimed had worsened the hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians.
The policies they listed included the removal of the fuel subsidy, changes to the naira exchange-rate system, increases in electricity tariffs, and tax reforms.
“It is unfortunate that the government has continued to insist on pursuing these policies, which are increasing hardship among the people, rather than reviewing and correcting them.
“The government prioritized the growth of its revenue at a time when the rising cost of living and unemployment are threatening the lives and well-being of citizens,” they said.
As stated by the clerics, those attending the conference “unanimously agreed that it would be inappropriate to re-elect this government in the forthcoming 2027 general elections if it does not change its harmful economic policies.”
The clerics likewise voiced deep worry about the ongoing exodus of Nigerian doctors, teachers, engineers, and other skilled professionals. They attributed this exodus to unemployment, insufficient facilities, poor working conditions, and the nation’s troubled economic situation.
They called on the government to raise salaries, enhance working conditions and professional development, and open up opportunities that would draw skilled Nigerians abroad back home.
The clerics called on religious scholars to speak truth to power, stand up for justice, and decline to be used as political instruments. In their view, scholars ought to commend what is good and condemn what is wrong, no matter the party, tribe, or religion of whoever holds power.
They appealed to Nigerians to place the country’s future ahead of party, ethnic, and regional interests and to judge candidates by their experience, integrity, competence, and policies.
“Nigerians should not be asked to endure another term of the same policies while families struggle to meet basic needs and the promised relief remains out of reach,” the communiqué said.
