2027: Kano Hisbah Board commandant says he won’t campaign for anyone

The Commandant-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Aminu Daurawa, says he will not campaign for any politician in the 2027 general elections.

Mr Daurawa expressed his stance in a message he published on his Facebook page on Saturday.

The Islamic cleric’s position follows ongoing criticism of his inclusion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign advisory committee in Kano.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Daurawa and Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, a former chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), are among the Islamic clerics listed on the committee.

Their inclusion raised questions about religious leaders’ involvement in partisan politics.

In the Hausa-language post, Mr Daurawa distanced himself from political activities, saying, “I am not a politician, and I will not campaign for anyone.”

“I hope that whoever will be just, compassionate to the poor, defend their rights and work to ease the affairs of their lives be granted victory by Allah,” he said.

“May Allah grant us leaders who are truthful, trustworthy and God-fearing, who will put the interest of the people above their personal interests,” he added.

Although Mr Daurawa distanced himself from “campaigning for anyone”, he has not commented directly on his inclusion in the APC advisory committee or on serving under the APC-led government of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

Islamic clerics divided over Tinubu’s re-election

Some Islamic clerics in northern Nigeria have openly supported President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

One of them is Sani Jingir, a senior leader of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), who has repeatedly defended the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

PREMIUM TIMES recalls that in August, Mr Jingir reaffirmed his support for the ticket in Kano, urging Muslims to prepare their permanent voter cards ahead of the 2027 elections.

Other religious figures and organisations have also endorsed Mr Tinubu for a second term.

In August, more than 500 Islamic scholars and clerics from northern Nigeria endorsed the president after a meeting with APC governors and other political stakeholders.

In September, the Muslim Intellectuals Forum, comprising Muslim women scholars, preachers and Da’awah leaders from the 19 northern states, including the Federal Capital Territory, also endorsed Tinubu’s re-election bid.

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However, some Islamic organisations have also challenged Mr Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid.

In October, more than 1,000 clerics under the “Ko Da Naka platform”, in collaboration with the AFAQ Educational Foundation, urged Mr Tinubu to reconsider his re-election ambition, citing insecurity, economic hardship and the migration of skilled professionals.

In a communiqué issued after a conference in Kano, the clerics criticised aspects of the administration’s economic policies and called for urgent action to address killings, kidnappings and terrorism.

They also urged religious scholars to defend justice and avoid becoming instruments of partisan politics.

Unlike other clerics and their organisations, Mr Daurawa’s recent statement suggested a non-partisan stance, expressing no support for any candidate.