More than 1,000 Islamic clerics have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to seek re-election in the 2027 presidential election, citing economic hardship, insecurity and other challenges confronting Nigerians.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a national conference on “An Assessment of the State of the Nation under President Tinubu and the 2027 General Elections,” held in Kano on Sunday.
The conference was organised by Ko Da Naka, an organisation focused on promoting good governance and community development, in collaboration with AFAQ Educational Foundation.
The participants expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the Tinubu administration, particularly its economic policies, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, changes to the naira exchange-rate system, increases in electricity tariffs and tax reforms.
According to the communiqué, the policies had increased the burden of hardship on ordinary Nigerians, while the government continued to prioritise revenue generation.
“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 prioritised 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,” the communiqué reads in part.
The clerics said it would be inappropriate to re-elect the Tinubu administration in 2027 if it failed to change what they described as harmful economic 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,” they said.
The participants also expressed concern over the continued killings, kidnappings and other acts of terrorism across the country.
They called on the Federal Government to take urgent measures to address insecurity, particularly in the North-West and other affected parts of the country.
The communiqué added: “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 conference also raised concerns over the continued migration of Nigerian doctors, teachers, engineers and other skilled professionals abroad.
The clerics attributed the trend to unemployment, inadequate facilities, poor working conditions and the difficult economic situation in the country.
They called on the government to improve salaries, working conditions and opportunities for professional development to encourage skilled Nigerians abroad to return home.
Among the clerics who presented 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, Sheikh Abdurrazaq Uba Musa, Sheikh Musa Muhd Ɗan kwano, Barrister El-Zubair, Dr Yahuza Getso, Prof Ibrahim Siraj Adhama, Dr Umar Dokaji and Sheikh Muhd Sani Khamis (Abu Haisam).
The clerics also urged Islamic scholars to speak truth to power, defend justice and resist being used as political instruments.
They said religious scholars should commend government when it does what is right and criticise policies or actions they consider wrong, irrespective of the political party, ethnic group or religion of the person in power.
The participants further urged Nigerians to put the country’s interests above partisan, ethnic and regional considerations when choosing leaders in 2027.
They called on voters to assess candidates based on their experience, integrity, competence and policies, particularly their ability to address economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, injustice and other challenges confronting the country.
