A mosque committee in Bauchi metropolis has removed Imam Dahiru Abubakar over allegations of using religious sermons to promote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The imam, who served at a mosque in Madina Quarters, reportedly defended Tinubu during sermons delivered after obligatory prayers, arguing that the President should not be blamed for the country’s insecurity and economic difficulties.
Abubakar’s removal followed repeated warnings from the mosque committee, which accused him of bringing partisan politics into the place of worship.
The development came after he allegedly repeated his political remarks following the early morning Subhi prayer on Sunday, despite previous cautions.
A source familiar with the incident said the committee had constituted a panel to examine his conduct before deciding to remove him from his position.
“He would tell the congregation after prayers that Tinubu did not cause insecurity and deserved to be re-elected,” the source said.
Why I Defended Tinubu — Imam
Reacting to his removal, Abubakar confirmed that his sermons had focused on discouraging worshippers from blaming Tinubu for Nigeria’s security and economic challenges.
He argued that the difficulties facing the country were part of what he described as an end-times phenomenon, insisting that divine intervention and prayers were necessary to overcome them.
“I have been preaching to the people to stop castigating President Tinubu for the insecurity and economic challenges. They should be prepared to vote for him and give him another mandate in 2027 to continue his mandate,” he said.
The former imam maintained that his messages were primarily aimed at encouraging the fear of God and promoting faith rather than engaging in conventional political campaigning.
He also cited insecurity in other African countries, including Sudan, Chad and Mali, questioning whether Tinubu could be held responsible for the crises in those nations.
According to him, his intention was to encourage worshippers to seek Allah’s intervention rather than place the blame for every national challenge on political leaders.
However, his position reportedly conflicted with the mosque committee’s expectations regarding the separation of religious worship from partisan political activities.
Mosque Committee Explains Decision
Confirming the removal, the chairman of the mosque committee, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, said the decision was not based solely on Abubakar’s support for Tinubu but also on his alleged attempts to turn the mosque into a centre for political discussions.
Jibrin accused the former imam of gathering people in front of the mosque and sometimes entering the premises specifically to discuss political matters.
He said the committee had repeatedly warned Abubakar against the practice, citing the Islamic principle that mosques should be dedicated to the worship of Allah.
“The mosque committee sat down with him and cautioned him against turning the mosque into a political platform. We vehemently rejected the use of the mosque for political meetings,” Jibrin said.
He added that the warnings were issued on several occasions but were allegedly ignored.
While acknowledging the importance of politics in determining the country’s leadership, Jibrin insisted that political activities should be conducted through recognised political party structures rather than inside places of worship.
According to him, the committee believes that mosques should remain spaces for religious devotion, irrespective of the political affiliations of worshippers.
Controversy Over Proposed Mosque Renaming
Jibrin further disclosed that tensions between Abubakar and the committee were heightened by his alleged insistence on changing the mosque’s name.
He said the imam wanted the facility renamed from Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair to Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a proposal the committee rejected.
According to Jibrin, the mosque belongs to the community, and its name cannot be changed to reflect the political preference of an individual.
“All the committee members said no because the mosque belongs to the community,” he said, adding that the committee resolved to retain the existing name, Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair.
Jibrin maintained that the committee had decided not to reinstate Abubakar, advising him to establish his own mosque if he wished to pursue his preferred religious and political approach.
“He should go and build his personal mosque, or politicians should go and buy a mosque for him; that is not our business,” he said.
Committee Denies Political Bias
Despite the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s re-election campaign, Jibrin insisted that the mosque committee was not opposed to the President or any other political candidate.
He said the committee’s position was based on its determination to prevent partisan politics from interfering with the mosque’s religious responsibilities.
“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 said.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the boundaries between religious preaching and partisan political advocacy, particularly as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While Abubakar maintains that his sermons were intended to discourage the congregation from unfairly blaming the President for national challenges, the mosque committee insists that repeated warnings against political activities within the premises were ignored.
The disagreement has ultimately resulted in his removal, with the committee maintaining that the mosque must remain a place of worship rather than a platform for political mobilisation.
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