‘We Suffered In Their Hands’: Sheikh Jingir Defends Support for Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Says He Has ‘No Regret’

The leader of the Izala Scholars Council, Sheikh Sani Jingir, has defended his endorsement of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, insisting he has “no regret” over his comments despite the backlash.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Jingir said his position was not about campaigning for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but about his duty as a Muslim.

“I will continue to support and encourage the Muslim-Muslim ticket. What they say would not stop me. They started it; at a point, we suffered in their hands,” he said.

Jingir first made the declaration during a mass wedding for 1,500 couples organised by the Kano State Government. There, he urged Muslims to vote in a way that reflects their numerical strength and said he backed the arrangement after President Tinubu “raised the flag” of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023.

The cleric argued that as a religious preacher, he has the right to advocate a political arrangement that aligns with his convictions. He also disputed claims that Christians or other groups outnumber Muslims in Nigeria.

His remarks have drawn mixed reactions. Some commentators have described them as divisive, while others say he is entitled to express his religious and political views.

A political analyst noted that Jingir’s stance could consolidate support among Muslim voters who backed the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 election ahead of 2027. However, the analyst cautioned that it could also push away some non-Muslim voters who supported President Tinubu.

Jingir maintained that he will continue to encourage Muslims to back the ticket regardless of criticism.