The Bauchi State Sharia Commission has invited a controversial Islamic cleric, Dahiru Abubakar, over reports that he was removed as an imam for allegedly campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The cleric appeared before the commission on Wednesday following media reports of his alleged removal.
Recall that the Imam’s alleged removal over partisanship generated public reactions weeks ago, with some residents questioning whether Abubakar was actually an Imam at the mosque in Madina Quarters, Bauchi, while others accused him of exaggerating the incident to gain political attention.
Amid the controversy, the commission invited him to explain his comments and receive guidance on the need to exercise caution when mixing religious responsibilities with political activities.
The meeting was led by the Commander of Hisbah under the commission, Malam Muhammad Muhammad Bununu, who gave the cleric an opportunity to address the reports and clarify what transpired.
Speaking during the meeting, Abubakar accused some media organisations of misrepresenting his earlier comments, insisting that the mosque was a small neighbourhood prayer centre and not a central mosque where Friday congregational prayers were held.
He said the mosque had only two prayer rows and that his comments were wrongly presented in a manner that suggested he had been removed from a major Friday mosque.
“I made the statement, but I never expected it to generate this kind of controversy. The mosque being discussed is not more than two prayer rows; it is a small mosque. It is not a Friday mosque, but some people across the world understood it to be a large Friday mosque,” he said.
The cleric further accused some people of twisting his remarks and giving them interpretations that were not part of his original statement.
He apologised to those who felt offended by the controversy, particularly those who understood his comments to mean that he had been removed from a Juma’at mosque.
“In the name of Allah, I apologise to everyone who understood it to mean that it was a Juma’at mosque. That was not what I meant. I was referring to a small mosque,” he said.
Abubakar also appealed to journalists and members of the public to avoid attributing statements to him that he did not make, urging them to report his comments accurately.
“Stop spreading things I never said,” he warned.
He disclosed that the mosque had only seven regular worshippers, confirming that they were responsible for removing him as the imam. He added that the disagreement had since been resolved.
Despite the controversy, the cleric reaffirmed his support for Tinubu and his determination to campaign for the President’s re-election in 2027.
He also thanked the Sharia Commission for inviting him and offering advice, while expressing regret over the misunderstanding surrounding the size and status of the mosque.