Bauchi Mosque Removes Imam Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election Campaign

Bauchi Mosque Removes Imam Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election Campaign

A mosque committee in Bauchi metropolis has removed Imam Dahiru Abubakar from his position over repeated attempts to promote President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid during religious activities.

Abubakar, who served at a mosque in the Madina quarters of Bauchi, was accused of using his preaching sessions after obligatory prayers to persuade worshippers to support Tinubu for another term in office in 2027.

The development followed repeated warnings from the mosque committee, which reportedly objected to the use of the place of worship for political discussions.

A source familiar with the incident told Daily Trust that the imam continued his political messages despite earlier concerns raised about his conduct.

“He would tell the congregation after prayer that Tinubu did not cause insecurity and he deserved to be reelected,” the source said.

According to the source, the committee constituted a panel after Abubakar repeated the act following the early morning Subhi prayer on Sunday. He was subsequently removed from his position.

Why The Imam Was Removed

Speaking with Daily Trust, Abubakar acknowledged that his sermons had focused on defending Tinubu against criticism over insecurity and the country’s economic difficulties.

He argued that the challenges facing Nigeria should not be blamed solely on the president, pointing to similar security problems in other African countries.

“I have been preaching to the people to stop castigating President Tinubu for the insecurity and economic challenges. They prepared to vote for him and give him another mandate in 2027 to continue his mandate,” he said.

The former imam explained that his messages encouraged worshippers to strengthen their relationship with God and seek divine intervention rather than blame political leaders for the country’s difficulties.

He cited insecurity in countries such as Sudan, Chad and Mali, asking whether Tinubu was responsible for the crises in those nations.

However, he said his position did not sit well with the mosque committee.

Mosque Committee Rejects Political Activities

The chairman of the mosque committee, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, confirmed Abubakar’s removal, explaining that the disagreement went beyond his support for Tinubu.

Jibrin accused the former imam of gathering people in front of the mosque to discuss politics and, on some occasions, entering the mosque specifically for political discussions.

He said the committee had repeatedly warned Abubakar against turning the mosque into a platform for political activities but that he failed to comply.

According to Jibrin, the committee’s position was based on the principle that mosques should remain dedicated to the worship of Allah rather than serve as venues for political mobilisation.

He noted that although politics was important in determining the country’s leadership, political campaigns and discussions should take place through recognised political structures rather than in places of worship.

Imam Wanted Mosque Renamed After Tinubu

Jibrin also disclosed that the former imam had proposed changing the mosque’s name from Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair to Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The proposal was rejected by the committee, which maintained that the mosque belonged to the community and that its name should not be changed to reflect support for a political figure.

“All the committee members said ‘no’ because the mosque belongs to the community,” Jibrin said.

He added that the committee had resolved to retain the existing name, Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair, despite Abubakar’s insistence.

The chairman said the committee had no plans to reinstate the former imam, advising him to establish his own mosque if he wished to pursue his preferred approach.

Jibrin, however, stressed that the committee was not opposed to any presidential candidate, including Tinubu.

“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.