A mosque committee in Bauchi metropolis has removed an imam, Dahiru Abubakar, over his alleged repeated use of religious sermons to canvass support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Abubakar, who served at a mosque in Madina quarters, was reportedly relieved of his position after allegedly ignoring repeated warnings against bringing partisan politics into the mosque, according to a report by Daily Trust.
The imam was said to have used sermons delivered after obligatory prayers to defend Tinubu against criticism over insecurity and economic hardship, while urging worshippers to support his bid for a second term.
His removal followed another incident after the early morning Subhi prayer on Sunday, according to accounts of the development.
A source said the mosque committee had earlier constituted a panel to address the matter but decided to remove the imam after he allegedly repeated the conduct.
Abubakar confirmed that he had been urging worshippers not to blame Tinubu for the country’s security and economic difficulties, arguing that the challenges required divine intervention.
“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.
He explained that his sermons focused on the fear of God and the need for prayers to overcome insecurity, citing crises in countries such as Sudan, Chad and Mali as examples of security challenges beyond Nigeria.
He said his position had, however, attracted the displeasure of the mosque committee.
Confirming the decision, the committee chairman, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, said the problem was not simply Abubakar’s support for Tinubu but his alleged attempts to turn the mosque into a political meeting place.
Jibrin accused the former imam of gathering people in front of the mosque to discuss politics and sometimes entering the premises specifically for such discussions.
He said the committee had repeatedly warned Abubakar that the mosque should remain a place of worship rather than become a platform for political mobilisation.
“The mosque committee sat down with him and cautioned him against turning the mosque to a political platform because of the Quranic verse which says the Mosque is solemnly for worship of Allah alone,” Jibrin said.
He added that although politics was a legitimate process for selecting leaders, campaigns and political meetings should be conducted through recognised party structures rather than religious institutions.
The committee chairman also revealed that Abubakar had allegedly proposed renaming the mosque, currently known as Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair, after Tinubu.
According to Jibrin, the former imam wanted the facility renamed Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a proposal rejected by the committee on the grounds that the mosque belonged to the community.
“All the committee members said ‘no’ because the mosque belongs to the community,” he said, maintaining that the existing name would remain unchanged.
Jibrin said Abubakar would not be reinstated, adding that the committee was not opposed to Tinubu or any other presidential aspirant.
He said the committee’s position was that worship centres should not be used for partisan political activities and that its members would pray for Allah to choose the best leader for Nigeria.
The chairman advised Abubakar to establish his own mosque if he wished to pursue his preferred approach.
The incident has drawn attention to the boundaries between religious preaching and political campaigning as preparations gradually build towards Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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