CAN Reacts As Sheikh Jingir’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket Remark Sparks Fresh Religious Tension

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has broken its silence over controversial remarks attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahya Jingir regarding the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, warning against inflammatory language in Nigeria’s politically and religiously sensitive environment.

Joseph Hayab, CAN Chairman in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), spoke on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

Hayab was responding to a video circulating on social media in which Jingir reportedly declared that Nigerians who do not support a Muslim-Muslim ticket should leave the country, insisting that Nigeria belongs to Muslims.

The CAN leader said while Christians had endured provocative statements in the past, the use of the word “infidel” in the cleric’s remarks had taken the matter beyond ordinary political campaigning.

Hayab called for moderation and greater responsibility from religious and political figures when making public statements, stressing that inflammatory comments could further deepen divisions in the country.

He said Jingir could have encouraged Muslims to support Muslim candidates without resorting to language capable of insulting or alienating people of other faiths.

According to Hayab, the situation would have been different if the cleric had simply urged Muslims to vote for their fellow Muslims.

He said: “We have always been tolerant of this, and I want to take us back.

“We have had the worst of these statements. But we have to be moderate. We have to be careful when we come to public space.

“Honestly speaking, if Jingir had said, ‘look, let’s vote for our Muslim brothers to show we are strong’, it wouldn’t have been offensive than adding the term ‘infidel’.

“The moment he went out of just campaigning and insulting, then it turns the story different.”

Hayab maintained that Christians had faced similar provocative statements for years, but urged Nigerians to pursue dialogue rather than allow religious rhetoric to escalate tensions.

The development comes amid renewed political debate over the possibility and implications of another Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in Nigeria, with religious identity remaining a sensitive issue ahead of future elections.