Bauchi Imam removed from position for allegedly campaigning for Tinubu’s second term

An imam, Dahiru Abubakar, has reportedly been removed from his position at a mosque in Madina Quarters, Bauchi metropolis, following repeated disagreements with the mosque committee over his alleged use of religious gatherings to express support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Abubakar was accused of using his sermons after obligatory prayers to defend Tinubu’s administration against criticism over insecurity and the country’s economic challenges.

His removal reportedly followed another disagreement on Sunday morning after the Subhi (dawn) prayer, despite previous warnings from the mosque committee.

According to reports, the imam had told worshippers that Tinubu should not be held solely responsible for Nigeria’s security and economic difficulties and deserved another opportunity to lead the country.

His comments reportedly drew objections from members of the mosque committee, who maintained that the mosque should not be used for political discussions or mobilisation.

A source familiar with the dispute said the committee decided to remove Abubakar after he allegedly continued making political remarks despite previous interventions.

“He would tell the congregation after prayer that Tinubu did not cause insecurity and that he deserved to be reelected.

“A committee was set up after he did the same thing last weekend and he was subsequently removed,” the source said.

Imam Explains His Position

Abubakar acknowledged that his sermons had included references to Tinubu and the 2027 general election but insisted that his intention was to discourage worshippers from blaming the president personally for every challenge facing the country.

He argued that Nigeria’s security and economic problems should be considered within a broader religious context, saying he believed the challenges were part of what he described as an “end times phenomenon”.

“I have been preaching to the people to stop castigating President Tinubu for the insecurity and economic challenges. They prepared to vote for him and give him another mandate in 2027 to continue his mandate.

“My preaching centred on telling people to embrace fear of God and stop blaming leaders for the insecurity, particularly President Tinubu, because only God’s intervention can stop the challenges with the power of prayers, and that didn’t go down well with the committee of the mosque,” he said.

The imam also cited insecurity and conflicts in other African countries, including Sudan, Chad and Mali, questioning whether Tinubu could be held responsible for the crises in those nations.

He maintained that his sermons were intended to encourage religious devotion and discourage worshippers from attributing all national problems to political leaders.

Committee Cites Repeated Warnings, Mosque Name Dispute

The chairman of the mosque committee, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, confirmed Abubakar’s removal, explaining that the dispute was not limited to his support for Tinubu but also involved what the committee described as attempts to turn the mosque into a political platform.

“Our major challenge with him was not only his campaign for Tinubu but the way and manner he gathered many people in front of the mosque and sometimes entered the mosque purposely to discuss politics,” Jibrin said.

He said the committee had repeatedly cautioned Abubakar against engaging in political activities within the mosque, stressing that the facility was primarily a place of worship.

According to Jibrin, the committee considered political mobilisation in the mosque inconsistent with its interpretation of the Quranic teaching on the purpose of mosques.

“The mosque committee sat down with him and cautioned him against turning the mosque to a political platform because of the Quranic verse which says the Mosque is solemnly for worship of Allah alone. We vehemently rejected the use of the mosque for political meetings. We warned him not once or twice but many times, but he didn’t heed our pleas,” he said.

Jibrin added that while the committee recognised politics as a legitimate process for choosing leaders, it believed political activities should take place through established political structures rather than in a mosque.

The committee chairman further disclosed that the disagreement also involved a proposal allegedly made by Abubakar to rename the mosque from Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair to “Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.

He said the proposal was rejected because the mosque belonged to the community and its name should not be changed to reflect support for a political figure.

“All the committee members said ‘no’ because the mosque belongs to the community. This mosque has a committee of which I am one of the members, and when he insisted, we rejected the idea and resolved that the mosque name would remain Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair,” Jibrin said.

He maintained that the committee’s decision to remove Abubakar was final, adding that the imam could establish his own mosque if he wished to continue his activities without the committee’s restrictions.

Jibrin, however, denied that the committee was opposed to any particular political candidate, saying its preference was for a leader who would serve the country’s interests.

“Our prayer is to Allah to choose the best for the country, be it President Tinubu or any candidate among the presidential candidates that would become a blessing to the country,” he added.

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