Bauchi mosque removes Imam over alleged Tinubu re-election marketing campaign

A mosque committee in Bauchi metropolis has eliminated Imam Dahiru Abubakar over allegations that he used sermons and mosque premises to marketing campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. Abubakar served at Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair in Madina quarters. His removing reportedly adopted repeated warnings in opposition to political actions on the mosque.

A supply mentioned the Imam continued making feedback supporting Tinubu after Sunday’s daybreak prayer, telling worshippers that the president was not answerable for Nigeria’s insecurity and deserved one other time period. Defending his messages, Abubakar mentioned he had inspired worshippers to cease blaming Tinubu for the nation’s safety and financial difficulties. “I have been preaching to the people to stop castigating President Tinubu for the insecurity and economic challenges,” he mentioned.

He maintained that his sermons centered on devotion, each day conduct and in search of divine intervention over insecurity. “My preaching priorities are fear of God and our day-to-day activities,” he mentioned. Abubakar additionally cited conflicts in Sudan, Chad and Mali, questioning whether or not Tinubu could possibly be held answerable for insecurity in these international locations.

Confirming the removing, mosque committee chairman Imam Abubakar Jibrin mentioned the dispute involved each the Imam’s political feedback and his alleged organisation of political gatherings across the premises. “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 mentioned.

He mentioned the committee had met with Abubakar a number of instances and cautioned him in opposition to utilizing the mosque as a political platform. Jibrin argued that political events offered applicable channels for campaigning and that such actions ought to happen at get together places of work slightly than locations of worship.

The chairman additional alleged that Abubakar proposed altering the mosque’s identify to Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He mentioned committee members rejected the suggestion as a result of the mosque belonged to the neighborhood and would retain its current identify. Jibrin added that the committee had determined to not reinstate Abubakar.

He harassed that the choice didn’t mirror opposition to Tinubu or another candidate, saying the committee’s concern was preserving the mosque’s non secular objective. “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 mentioned.