The management committee of a mosque in Madina Quarters, Bauchi metropolis, has removed Imam Dahiru Abubakar over allegations that he used religious sermons to promote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The decision followed repeated warnings by the mosque committee against the alleged use of the place of worship for partisan political activities.
According to reports, Abubakar had used sermons delivered after obligatory prayers to defend Tinubu’s administration, arguing that the President should not be blamed for the country’s insecurity and economic difficulties. He reportedly urged worshippers to support Tinubu for a second term.
The mosque committee’s chairman, Abubakar Jibrin, confirmed the imam’s removal, saying the committee had cautioned him several times against introducing politics into mosque activities. He explained that the concerns also involved allegations that Abubakar gathered people inside and around the mosque to discuss political issues.
Jibrin further alleged that the imam had proposed renaming the mosque, Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair, after President Tinubu. The proposal was rejected by the committee, which maintained that the mosque belonged to the community and should retain its existing name.
The committee chairman said the decision to remove Abubakar was final, stressing that the mosque was intended for worship and not political campaigning. He added that the committee was not opposed to any political candidate but insisted that political activities should take place through recognised political platforms rather than in places of worship.
Abubakar, however, maintained that his comments were intended to discourage worshippers from blaming the President for every national challenge. He attributed the country’s insecurity and economic difficulties to what he described as an “end times phenomenon” and said his preaching focused on faith, prayer and the fear of God.
He also acknowledged proposing a change to the mosque’s name, although the suggestion was rejected.
The development has drawn attention to the debate over the separation of religious activities from partisan politics as political discussions gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
