Bauchi mosque removes imam over Tinubu campaign in sermons

An imam in Bauchi metropolis has lost his position after his mosque committee accused him of using sermons and the mosque premises to push President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid ahead of 2027.

Imam Dahiru Abubakar served at a mosque in Madina quarters. The committee chairman, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, confirmed the removal.

According to Jibrin, the committee's problem went beyond the imam's support for the President. He said Abubakar often gathered people in front of the mosque and sometimes came inside mainly to talk politics.

Jibrin said the committee warned him repeatedly that a place of worship should be reserved for worship, and that party activities belong in party offices. He said the warnings were ignored, including after the early morning Subhi prayer on Sunday.

What the imam says

Abubakar does not deny speaking about the President. He told reporters he had been telling worshippers to stop blaming Tinubu for Nigeria's insecurity and economic hardship, which he described as an "end times phenomenon."

He said his sermons urged fear of God and prayer, and that he cited conflicts in Sudan, Chad and Mali to ask whether the President could be blamed for insecurity in those countries too.

He also said some worshippers were ready to give the President another mandate in 2027.

Jibrin raised a second grievance: he said Abubakar wanted the mosque renamed Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair. The committee rejected the change, arguing the mosque belongs to the community.

The chairman said the decision not to reinstate him stands. He added that the committee is not against any candidate, and prays for the best leader for Nigeria, whether Tinubu or another contender.

The dispute touches a question many Nigerian worshippers will recognise: where religion ends and politics begins, especially in the run-up to a presidential election.

For now, the committee says Abubakar has been removed and will not be reinstated.