by Mohammed Bello Doka
10 July, 2026.
Is the Muslim-Muslim ticket a curse or a blessing to the Muslim Ummah? In a desperate attempt to justify voting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, his supporters in the North have run short of ideas. They have resorted to the same 2023 campaign rhetoric, trying to wield the Muslim-Muslim narrative as a shield once again. But the bitter truth is that if this ticket was meant to be a blessing for Muslims, why are we the ones suffering the most? The answer is clear: the outcome of that arrangement did not change anything in the lives of the Northern populace; if anything, the North believes that they are the victims of this leadership. The reality on the ground is that the Muslim community has not benefited from having two Muslims at the highest levels of government, contrary to the widespread belief that it would favour them. The faith of a leader is not what grants him legitimacy in the eyes of God or man. In Islam, a leader is judged by his deeds, his justice, and his ability to protect the flock. The current government's record is a standing indictment that disqualifies it from any claim to divine favour. When insecurity kills worshippers in mosques, poverty crushes families, and corruption mocks the sacred trust of leadership, to invoke Islam in support of its continuation is not only theologically untenable but an affront to the faith itself.
The primary duty of any Islamic ruler is the protection of life and property, a sacred trust that this administration has catastrophically failed to uphold. The bloodshed in Nigeria has reached genocidal proportions, and the Muslim Ummah is squarely in the crosshairs. We are not just speaking of abstract statistics. Consider the harrowing example of the Fajr prayer attack in Katsina State in August 2025. Armed bandits attacked the remote community of Unguwan Mantau as worshippers had gathered for dawn prayer. They opened fire inside the mosque, killing at least 50 people; 30 were gunned down during their morning devotions, while another 20 were burned alive in their homes. The grief of that community is compounded by the fact that over a year later, no convictions have been secured. The perpetrators walk free. Similarly, during the holy month of Ramadan in February 2026, suspected bandits attacked a mosque in Dadinkowa village, Kebbi State, as residents had gathered for Tafsir, the traditional Qur'anic exegesis. The assault occurred shortly after they had broken their fast. At least five worshippers were killed, and 19 others were injured, with eyewitnesses describing a scene of horror where a pool of blood was left in the mosque. These are not isolated incidents. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has rightly noted that banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and killings have become common, with the devastation caused by these security challenges being a source of profound concern. How can a government that cannot protect Muslims at their most sacred moments—during Fajr prayer, during Ramadan Tafsir—claim to govern in accordance with Islam? The ancient philosopher Ibn Khaldun argued that the state's purpose is to prevent injustice and protect its subjects. A government that fails to protect its citizens in their places of worship has lost its moral and political authority to rule. When hundreds of schoolchildren are kidnapped and the government fails to hold perpetrators accountable, it proves that the safety of the people is not its priority.
Furthermore, in Islam, the concept of Maslaha, or public welfare, demands that a leader prioritize the economic well-being of the people. Yet, under this administration, poverty has not just worsened, it has been tragically normalized. The International Monetary Fund reported that despite macroeconomic growth, poverty has risen to 63% of Nigeria's population, with an estimated 27 million Nigerians facing acute food insecurity. The National Bureau of Statistics data confirms that food, transport, and energy costs have been rising steadily, eroding the purchasing power of millions of households across the nation. The Supreme Council for Shari'ah in Nigeria has lamented the adverse effects of government policies, noting that the removal of fuel subsidies has led to skyrocketing costs of living, making food and essential goods unaffordable. When a government imposes multiple new taxes and tariffs while the people starve, it demonstrates a profound neglect of the sacred duty of welfare. The Qur'anic principle of Adl, or justice, is the yardstick by which we must judge our leaders. The SCSN rightly pointed out that while we voted for leaders of the same faith, we have not seen justice and equity extended to all communities. Al-Mawardi, a classical Islamic political thinker, wrote that the imamate is established to preserve the faith and manage the affairs of the world. A government that manages worldly affairs so poorly that it pushes millions into extreme deprivation cannot claim to be serving Islam.
Corruption is a direct violation of the Islamic principle of Amanah, the sacred trust of leadership. When trust is breached, the bond between the ruler and the ruled is broken. The scandals plaguing this administration are staggering. The revelation of a fake government agency, the PFIPC, allegedly allocated N1.3 billion in the Appropriation Act, only for the Presidency to claim it did not exist, raises alarming questions about budget oversight and the integrity of the system. Furthermore, the International Monetary Fund reported approximately N8.83 trillion in unbudgeted expenditure undertaken in 2025, representing about 2% of GDP. This is public money, a trust given to the government to protect and spend wisely for the benefit of all. Imam al-Ghazali stated that religion and worldly governance are twins; governance is the guardian of religion, and any flaw in the guardian leads to chaos in the faith. When corruption is allowed to fester, it is not just an economic crime; it is a spiritual crime that undermines the very fabric of society.
In the face of such egregious failures, the silence of the clerics and the insistence on the Muslim-Muslim ticket becomes a form of complicity. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that the best jihad is a word of truth before a tyrannical ruler. To stand silent while injustice reigns is to betray the faith. We must reject the cynical manipulation of our faith for political gain. The Muslim-Muslim ticket was a political strategy, not a divine mandate. The clerics who championed it must answer for the suffering of the Ummah. We cannot continue to vote based on the faith of the candidate when their actions are the antithesis of Islamic governance. The North is bleeding, the people are hungry, and the state is corrupt. We have a religious duty to vote against this injustice. We must judge our leaders by their actions, not just their labels. To vote for Tinubu in 2027 is not an act of Islamic piety; it is an endorsement of injustice. In the words of the scholar, the voter must use their vote as a sword of truth. It is time for the Muslim Ummah to rise and reclaim its dignity by standing against a government that has failed them, proving that we are not a flock to be herded, but a community of conscience demanding justice and accountability.
Mohammad Bello Doka can be reached via [email protected]
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