2027 Election: Group Urges Clerics, Politicians To Preach Peace

The Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has cautioned religious institutions and political actors against actions that could undermine national cohesion as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The group expressed concern over what it described as the growing intrusion of religious institutions into partisan politics, warning that using religious platforms for political mobilisation could threaten national unity and democratic stability.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, the convener, Chief Jacob Edi Kakaki Bassange, said religious organisations had the right to express opinions on matters of public interest but must distinguish legitimate advocacy from partisan political interference.

The group urged religious leaders to concentrate on their spiritual responsibilities, moral enlightenment, interfaith harmony and prayers for national peace, rather than turning pulpits and minbars into platforms for partisan mobilisation.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to caution individuals within his political circle against allegedly exploiting his name and proximity to power to secure lucrative government contracts.

While commending the President for what it described as creating a level playing field for political competition, the group warned that any abuse of presidential goodwill for private enrichment could undermine public confidence in the administration.

It said it would make relevant information regarding the alleged practices public at the appropriate time, insisting that no one should trade on the President’s name for personal gain.

The group equally urged opposition politicians to respect the law and democratic rules, warning against attempts to heat up the polity for electoral advantage.

“Opposition is an indispensable feature of democracy, but political ambition does not confer a licence to disregard the law or destabilise the country,” the statement said.

It added that no individual, regardless of political influence or position, was above the law.

On the role of religious institutions in the electoral process, NNMG maintained that no religious organisation had the exclusive authority to determine Nigeria’s political direction or pronounce on the legitimacy of public appointments and electoral outcomes.

According to the group, electoral legitimacy derives from the Constitution and established legal processes, not ecclesiastical approval or clerical verdicts.

He stressed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was a national institution whose credibility should be assessed by its independence, transparency, impartiality, and adherence to its constitutional mandate, rather than by the religious affiliation of its leadership.

“Nigeria is a constitutional republic, not a theocracy,” the statement declared.

Representing more than 200 minority communities across Northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, NNMG said it remained committed to inclusion, equity, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

The group rejected what it described as the exploitation of religious and ethnic identities for political expediency, stressing that no individual, religion, ethnicity or interest group had a superior claim to the Nigerian state.

It therefore called on the President, opposition leaders, religious institutions, and other political actors to exercise restraint, respect constitutional institutions, and place the national interest above personal, partisan, and sectarian considerations.

“Nigeria belongs to all its citizens. No individual, religion, ethnicity or interest group has a superior claim to the Nigerian state,” it said.

The group urged Nigerians to embrace responsibility, mutual respect and an unwavering commitment to constitutional democracy, warning that the country’s collective future depended on peaceful coexistence and national unity.