Bauchi: Mosque committee removes imam over alleged campaign for Tinubu’s re-election

An imam in Bauchi metropolis, Dahiru Abubakar, has been removed from his position following disagreements with the management committee of his mosque over his repeated political messages in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Abubakar, who led prayers at a mosque in Madina quarters of Bauchi, reportedly used post-prayer sermons to defend Tinubu against criticism over insecurity and the country’s economic difficulties, urging worshippers to support the president for another term. Blueprint reports

The disagreement reportedly escalated after he repeated the messages following the early morning Subhi prayer on Sunday, prompting the mosque committee to review his conduct and eventually remove him from the position.

The development has brought renewed attention to the place of partisan politics in religious spaces, particularly as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abubakar admitted that he had spoken to worshippers about the president’s performance and argued that insecurity and economic hardship should not be blamed entirely on Tinubu. He maintained that his messages were rooted in religious teachings, the need for faith in God and the belief that prayer was essential to overcoming the country’s challenges.

However, the mosque committee said its objections went beyond the imam’s expression of support for the president. It accused him of repeatedly introducing political activities into the mosque, gathering people to discuss politics and attempting to change the mosque’s name in honour of Tinubu.

Why the mosque committee removed the imam

The chairman of the mosque committee, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, confirmed the removal, explaining that the management had repeatedly cautioned Abubakar against turning the mosque into a venue for political mobilisation.

According to Jibrin, the committee’s concern was not simply that the imam supported a particular presidential candidate, but that he allegedly used the mosque and its surroundings to organise or promote political discussions.

He said the committee had met with Abubakar on several occasions and warned him against introducing partisan activities into a place established primarily for worship.

Jibrin cited the Islamic principle that mosques are dedicated to the worship of Allah, arguing that political party activities should take place at designated party offices and other appropriate venues rather than inside religious premises.

He maintained that while politics was an important process for choosing leaders, religious institutions should not be converted into platforms for political meetings or campaigning.

The committee reportedly became more concerned after the imam continued with the practice despite previous warnings. His removal followed a meeting convened to address the disagreement.

Jibrin said the committee had decided against reinstating Abubakar, indicating that the decision was final.

Imam defends his messages on Tinubu

Abubakar, however, defended his preaching, saying his intention was to discourage worshippers from blaming Tinubu exclusively for Nigeria’s insecurity and economic difficulties.

He explained that his sermons focused on the fear of God, personal conduct, prayer and the belief that some of the problems confronting the country required spiritual intervention.

According to him, he had encouraged worshippers to consider the wider circumstances surrounding insecurity, including conflicts in other African countries, rather than attributing Nigeria’s difficulties solely to the president.

He cited Sudan, Chad and Mali as examples of countries facing security crises and questioned whether Tinubu could be held responsible for the challenges confronting those nations.

The imam said he had urged people to stop castigating the president over insecurity and economic hardship, maintaining that the problems could not be resolved without divine intervention.

He also said he believed worshippers should give Tinubu another opportunity in 2027 to continue his administration.

His position, however, did not resolve the disagreement with the mosque committee, which insisted that the pulpit and mosque premises should not be used to advance partisan political interests.

The competing explanations highlight the distinction between religious leaders expressing views about governance and using their positions within religious institutions to encourage support for a particular candidate.

Dispute over proposed change of mosque name

Beyond the political sermons, Jibrin disclosed that another major source of disagreement was Abubakar’s reported insistence on changing the mosque’s name from Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair to Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The committee rejected the proposal, arguing that the mosque belonged to the community and that its name could not be changed at the insistence of an individual imam.

Jibrin said all committee members opposed the proposed renaming and resolved that the mosque would retain its existing identity.

He explained that the mosque was managed by a committee responsible for protecting its interests and ensuring that its activities remained consistent with its purpose as a place of worship.

The chairman said the imam was free to establish a mosque of his own if he wished to pursue his personal preferences, adding that the committee would not permit the community’s mosque to be renamed after a political leader.

The dispute over the name appears to have deepened the disagreement between Abubakar and the committee, adding an institutional dimension to what initially centred on his political preaching.

The committee’s position, as explained by Jibrin, was that the mosque’s identity and management were community matters rather than decisions to be determined by the political preferences of its imam.

Committee says it is not against Tinubu or any candidate

Jibrin also rejected any suggestion that the committee’s decision was motivated by opposition to Tinubu or support for another presidential candidate.

He said the committee members were not against any candidate or political party and would leave the choice of Nigeria’s next leader to Allah.

According to him, the committee’s priority was to preserve the mosque as a place of worship and prevent its conversion into a platform for partisan political activities.

He added that the committee prayed for Allah to guide the country towards choosing a leader who would be a blessing to Nigeria, regardless of the candidate’s political affiliation.

The clarification is significant because the incident involves an imam whose public position reportedly favoured the incumbent president. The committee’s explanation, however, was that its decision concerned the use and management of the mosque rather than the political identity of the candidate he supported.

There was no indication in the account of the incident that the committee had endorsed an opposing candidate or taken a formal position on the 2027 presidential election.

Religious institutions and political mobilisation ahead of 2027

The development comes as political conversations surrounding the 2027 general elections continue to feature prominently in public discourse. Religious leaders command considerable influence within their communities, making their comments on governance and elections potentially significant for political mobilisation.

At the same time, the Bauchi dispute illustrates the challenges that can arise when individual religious leaders’ political preferences conflict with the rules or expectations of the institutions they lead.

Religious leaders can contribute to discussions on accountability, public conduct, insecurity, poverty and the responsibilities of political officeholders. Disagreements may emerge, however, when sermons move from discussing governance to urging worshippers to support a particular candidate.

In this case, Abubakar maintained that his messages were intended to encourage faith and discourage the attribution of every national problem to Tinubu. The mosque committee, on the other hand, said it had repeatedly warned him against using the mosque for political activities and rejected the proposed change of its name.

The available account does not establish whether any external religious authority or government institution has intervened in the dispute. The reported removal was a decision of the mosque committee, and the chairman said the imam would not be reinstated.

For now, the disagreement leaves Abubakar separated from the leadership of the mosque where he had been serving, while the committee insists that the institution will retain its existing name and remain outside partisan political mobilisation.