CAN condemns Sheikh’s ‘infidel’ comment on Muslim-Muslim ticket
By Cynthia Alo
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. John Hayab, has condemned the use of the word “infidel” by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sona Jingir, while canvassing support for Muslim-Muslim tickets.
Rev Hayab said the usage of the word is offensive and capable of deepening religious tension in the country.
Recall that on Saturday, Jingir had, in a video that generated controversy online, urged Muslims to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, and vote for Muslim-Muslim tickets, saying the move would prove to “the infidels” that Muslims were the majority.
Reacting to the statement on Monday during an interview on Channels TV, Hayab said the cleric’s comment was a reflection of the concerns Christians in Northern Nigeria had raised over religious intolerance and alleged attempts at dominance.
Hayab said the statement was particularly disturbing because it was made in the presence of three governors, who were seen laughing during the gathering.
“The man did not say it in his room; he said it in the presence of three governors, and they were all smiling. This is an action that should have been rebuked instantly,” he said.
He said the use of the word “infidel” against Christians was derogatory and could encourage hatred and violence against people of other faiths.
“Someone has the audacity to call me or every Christian an ‘infidel.’ I wonder what he has been teaching his people all these years. You can see he has been teaching them hate and dislike for Christians,” Hayab said.
He, however, said Christians would continue to pursue dialogue and remain moderate despite provocative statements, stressing that political support for a Muslim candidate was not the issue.
He said: “We have always been tolerant. We have gone through worse statements. We have to be moderate and careful in public spaces.
“Honestly, if Jingir said, ‘Let’s vote for our Muslim brothers to show we are strong,’ it would have been different, but adding ‘infidel’ makes it offensive,” he said.
Hayab also called on the government to take action against inflammatory religious rhetoric, warning that allowing such statements to go unchecked could further undermine peace and unity.
“We must call out people like Jingir and the man in Kano who wants to sack every Christian. We must call them out so the government can act responsibly,” he said.
Also reacting, Director of Research and Production, Ambassadors of Peace and Social Welfare Initiative, Prof. Ahmad Suleiman, condemned Jingir’s statement, but cautioned against using the remarks of one cleric to judge Muslims generally.
Suleiman, who spoke on the same programme, said Jingir’s comments were contrary to Islamic teachings, particularly his reference to Christians as “infidels.”
“What he said is totally against Islamic teachings. The Quran does not like referring to the people of the book with insult; it describes that among Christians, you have very good people who are religious,” he said.
According to him, Islam teaches Muslims to respect people of other faiths, adding that political campaigns should be based on the competence and character of candidates rather than religion.
“Even if you want to campaign for a Muslim, campaign for him as a person, but do not campaign against a Christian. Christians and Muslims should not campaign against each other because of their religion. They should focus on qualities and actions,” Suleiman said.
He also cited Sections 10, 38 and 42 of the Constitution, saying Nigeria is a multi-religious country where citizens are entitled to freedom of religion and protected from discrimination on religious grounds.
Suleiman urged Nigerians not to equate Jingir’s comments with the position of Islam, stressing that responsible Muslim voices would reject such rhetoric.
“Islam is not Jingir; he is just one person among hundreds of millions,” he said.
He further urged political and religious leaders to focus on governance and service delivery rather than exploiting religious sentiments for political gains.
“For every Jingir, there are ten responsible people who will talk responsibly. There are a lot of people like me. Don’t judge us by what a minority is doing,” Suleiman said.
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