The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, have called on religious leaders to promote peace and avoid making inflammatory comments about candidates and political office holders during the electioneering. They made the call at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, with the theme, “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the meeting, urged religious and traditional leaders to promote peace and prevent political activities from becoming a source of religious or ethnic conflict. Akume emphasized that politics should be conducted through democratic processes rather than religious platforms.
The Sultan specifically cautioned against turning religious gatherings into platforms for political campaigning, saying religious leaders should promote peace and encourage responsible participation in the electoral process. He also urged Christian and Muslim leaders to avoid using sermons, prayers, and religious gatherings to attack political leaders or promote division.
The Sultan called on religious leaders to speak honestly with one another and avoid spreading false information after interfaith meetings, stressing that dialogue remained important to Nigeria’s stability and development. He also emphasized the need for a firm stance against corruption, urging religious leaders to support the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in prosecuting anyone found culpable.
The executive secretary of NIREC, Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, and the chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, also urged religious leaders to promote peace, accountability, reconciliation, and national unity. They emphasized the importance of promoting peaceful coexistence and encouraging responsible participation in the electoral process.
The Sultan advised religious leaders and their followers to pray for the president, governors, and members of the National Assembly (NASS), rather than praying for their downfall. He emphasized that prayer could make God touch their lives and change their ways, even if they were perceived as bad leaders.
The meeting was attended by various religious and traditional leaders, who were urged to promote peace and prevent political activities from becoming a source of conflict. The leaders were also reminded that no one should be above the law, and that proceeds of corruption should not be used to fund religious activities.
Key points
- Religious leaders in Nigeria have been urged to promote peace and avoid making inflammatory comments about candidates and political office holders during the 2027 electioneering.
- The Sultan of Sokoto and the president of CAN have called on religious leaders to promote peace and encourage responsible participation in the electoral process.
- The Nigerian government has emphasized the importance of conducting politics through democratic processes rather than religious platforms.
