Chairman of Northern Christian Association (NCA) Reverend Joseph John Hayab, has said the comments of Islamic leader, Sheikh Sona Jingir calling millions of Christians in the Nigeria infidels was offensive and capable of worsening religious tension in the country.

He condemned the use of the word “infidel” by the Islamic cleric, while calling for support of Muslim-Muslim political tickets in 2027 in Nigeria.

The NCA Chairman in the region, Reverend Hayab, insisted that the remark was offensive and capable of polarizing the country further on the basis of religion and ethnicity.

He reacted further to the video of Jingir’s comments that had already generated wide controversy online.

Besides, Jingir had reportedly urged Muslims to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and support Muslim-Muslim tickets, saying such votes would demonstrate to “the infidels” that Muslims were the majority.

His comments were made on Saturday during a gathering attended by three governors, according to the report.

Hayab said the presence of the governors made the remark more troubling, arguing that the statement should have been immediately condemned. He said referring to Christians as “infidels” was derogatory and could encourage hatred and violence against people of other faiths.

“The man did not say it in his room; he said it in the presence of three governors, and they were all smiling. This is an action that should have been rebuked instantly,” Hayab said.

He said that the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN was not opposed to Muslims supporting a Muslim candidate because of the candidate’s political or personal qualities.

Hayab, however, said using religious language to describe Christians in a derogatory manner was unacceptable and could further strain relations between religious communities.

Hayab also called on the government to respond to inflammatory religious statements, warning that allowing such remarks to go unchecked could undermine peace and national unity.

“We must call out people like Jingir and the man in Kano who wants to sack every Christian. We must call them out so the government can act responsibly,” he said.

Also reacting, Prof. Ahmad Suleiman, Director of Research and Production at the Ambassadors of Peace and Social Welfare Initiative, condemned Jingir’s remarks but cautioned against using the statement of one cleric to judge Muslims generally.

Suleiman said Jingir’s reference to Christians as “infidels” was contrary to Islamic teachings. He urged political actors to campaign on the competence and character of candidates rather than use religion as a basis for attacking opponents.

“Even if you want to campaign for a Muslim, campaign for him as a person, but do not campaign against a Christian,” Suleiman said.

He further referred to Sections 10, 38 and 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, saying the country recognises its multi-religious character and protects citizens’ rights to freedom of religion and freedom from discrimination on religious grounds.

The controversy comes amid renewed political discussions around Muslim-Muslim tickets ahead of future elections. Same-faith presidential tickets have remained a contentious issue in Nigeria, particularly since the All Progressives Congress adopted a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

The latest comments have therefore drawn attention from religious and political stakeholders, with calls for political campaigns to focus on candidates’ records and qualifications rather than religious identity.

CAN said it would continue to pursue dialogue and moderation, while Hayab urged authorities to act against inflammatory rhetoric capable of worsening religious tensions in the country.