A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adamu Garba, has slammed Islamic cleric Sheikh Jingir for making a highly provocative statement that Nigeria is a Muslim country.

Jingir made the statement at a public gathering, where he called for support for APC's Muslim- Muslim presidential ticket.

Reacting, Garba called for the rejection of the claim, describing it as insensitive and provocative.

He wrote on X, "Even though I generally avoid political debates, the statement attributed to Sheikh Jingir—if it is indeed accurate—is insensitive, provocative, and should be rejected outright.

"There are no 'arna' in Nigeria. There are no 'kafirai' in Nigeria.

"What we have are our friends, our family, and our neighbours who are Christians—responsible, valued, and deeply loved members of our shared society. They are us, and we are them. Between us, there is no division and no hierarchy.

"No one should be permitted to weaponise religion for political advantage, especially not in this AI‑driven century where clarity, unity, and progress matter more than ever.

"Our strength lies in our collective unity, our trust in one another, our collaboration, and our commitment to building shared opportunities.

"Anything—no matter who says it—that attempts to sow discord among us must be actively discouraged and firmly condemned."


ASA