By Abigail David
Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph Hayab, has said President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were elected with votes from Nigerians across religious communities, not Muslims alone.
Hayab made the remarks while reacting to comments by Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, who recently defended the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and urged Muslims to use their numerical strength to advance their political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.
Jingir also reportedly referred to Christians as “infidels” in a viral video, prompting criticism from Hayab.
Speaking on Channels Television, Hayab said the Tinubu-Shettima ticket received significant support from Christian-majority states during the 2023 presidential election.
He argued that the controversy was not simply about Muslims supporting Muslim candidates but about inflammatory statements that could deepen religious divisions.
Hayab criticised Jingir’s description of Christians, saying Nigerians should not be insulted or demeaned because of their faith.
He also expressed concern that the comments were made in the presence of political leaders who, according to him, did not publicly condemn the remarks.
The NCA chairman called on the Federal Government, political leaders and governors to state their positions on such rhetoric and take steps to prevent religious tensions from escalating.
Despite the controversy, Hayab said Christian leaders would continue engaging Muslims, government officials and other stakeholders through dialogue.
He also renewed his call for religion to be included in Nigeria’s national census, arguing that reliable demographic data could help address competing claims about religious population and influence.
