Prominent groups within the Tijjaniyya Sect in Kano State have denied endorsing any politician ahead of the 2027 general elections, dismissing rumours that the religious body had adopted Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as its preferred candidate.
The clarification was made on Saturday by the leader of the popular Gausiyya Association of Tijjaniyya in Kano, Abubakar Ahmad Darma, while addressing journalists in Kano.
According to him, the Tijjaniyya Sect remains an independent Islamic religious organisation with no political affiliation and has not endorsed any individual or political candidate in the state.
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He explained that although members of the sect are free to belong to political parties and participate in politics as citizens, the organisation itself does not engage in partisan endorsement.
“Members of the sect are free to vote for whosoever they decide to vote for as individual citizens exercising their constitutional rights,” Sheikh Darma stated.
“The Tijjaniyya Sect is not a political entity but a purely religious body with millions of members across the country.
“However, as individuals, members of the sect are free to exercise their constitutional rights to vote and be voted for. But as a body we have not endorsed any individual,” he added.
The cleric further reminded members that the founder of the Tijjaniyya movement, Ibrahim Nyass, encouraged participation in politics for the purpose of promoting public welfare and social justice rather than for personal or material gain.
“Those who do politics for material benefits have sold their hereafter,” he said.
In a related development, another Tijjaniyya-based group, the Sufi Political Awareness Forum, also distanced itself from claims that it had endorsed Governor Yusuf for the 2027 governorship election.
The group, under the leadership of Tuhami Abubakar Adam, issued a statement stressing that the endorsement of the governor by certain individuals did not represent the position of the wider Tijjaniyya Sect.
According to the statement, the Shura Majlis of the Tijjaniyya Sect is a religious institution and not a political platform.
The group further stated that some members were dissatisfied with the handling of certain sensitive issues by the Kano State Government, particularly matters relating to Malam Lawan Triumph.
It reiterated that every member of the sect has the constitutional right to support and vote for any candidate of his or her choice without interference from the religious body.
The development comes amid increasing political activities and alignments ahead of the 2027 elections in Kano State and across Nigeria.