The Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has warned Christian and Muslim religious leaders against turning churches and mosques into platforms for partisan political campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group urged pastors and imams to stay away from partisan politics and concentrate on promoting peace, national unity and their spiritual responsibilities.
The convener of NNMG, Jacob Edi Bassange, made the call while addressing journalists in Abuja, expressing concern over what he described as the growing intrusion of religious institutions into partisan politics as the country approaches another election cycle.
Bassange, who represents more than 200 minority communities across Northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, said no religious institution had the authority to determine the country’s political direction or the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.
According to him, “no religious institution has the exclusive prerogative to determine Nigeria’s political direction or the legitimacy of public appointments and electoral outcomes.”
He warned that attempts to subject election results to religious approval could undermine democratic stability.
“Any suggestion that electoral outcomes require religious endorsement or may be rejected on sectarian grounds is profoundly inimical to democratic stability,” Bassange said.
He maintained that electoral legitimacy should be determined by the constitution and established legal processes rather than religious approval or declarations by clerics.
“Electoral legitimacy derives from the constitution and established legal processes, not ecclesiastical approval or clerical verdicts,” he added.
The group also defended the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the credibility of the electoral body should be assessed based on its performance rather than the religious background of its leadership.
Bassange said INEC’s credibility “must be judged by its independence, transparency, impartiality and adherence to its constitutional mandate, not the religious persuasion of its leadership.”
Meanwhile, the group alleged that some individuals within President Bola Tinubu’s political circle were exploiting their proximity to power to secure lucrative government contracts.
It urged the president to caution such individuals against using his name and access to government to pursue personal interests.
The group urged pastors and imams to stay away from partisan politics and concentrate on promoting peace, national unity and their spiritual responsibilities.
The convener of NNMG, Jacob Edi Bassange, made the call while addressing journalists in Abuja, expressing concern over what he described as the growing intrusion of religious institutions into partisan politics as the country approaches another election cycle.
Bassange, who represents more than 200 minority communities across Northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, said no religious institution had the authority to determine the country’s political direction or the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.
According to him, “no religious institution has the exclusive prerogative to determine Nigeria’s political direction or the legitimacy of public appointments and electoral outcomes.”
He warned that attempts to subject election results to religious approval could undermine democratic stability.
“Any suggestion that electoral outcomes require religious endorsement or may be rejected on sectarian grounds is profoundly inimical to democratic stability,” Bassange said.
He maintained that electoral legitimacy should be determined by the constitution and established legal processes rather than religious approval or declarations by clerics.
“Electoral legitimacy derives from the constitution and established legal processes, not ecclesiastical approval or clerical verdicts,” he added.
The group also defended the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the credibility of the electoral body should be assessed based on its performance rather than the religious background of its leadership.
Bassange said INEC’s credibility “must be judged by its independence, transparency, impartiality and adherence to its constitutional mandate, not the religious persuasion of its leadership.”
Meanwhile, the group alleged that some individuals within President Bola Tinubu’s political circle were exploiting their proximity to power to secure lucrative government contracts.
It urged the president to caution such individuals against using his name and access to government to pursue personal interests.