- Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi weighed in on the debate over whether clerics should participate in politics
- The debate gained fresh momentum after ex-minister Pantami emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State
- Gumi argued on Facebook that clerics who bear the pressures of politics are better placed than those who stay on the sidelines
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Kano, Kano state – Prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi has come down firmly on one side of a growing debate among Nigerian Muslims, saying there is nothing wrong with religious scholars entering partisan politics.
Legit.ng reports that Gumi made his position known via a post on his Facebook page on Monday, August 3, arguing that clerics who choose to engage directly with governance are doing more than those who confine themselves to offering prayers for politicians.
Source: Facebook
He wrote:
“A religious scholar who gets involved in politics and bears its rigours is better than one who sits on a prayer mat, offering prayers for politicians.”
Pantami governorship bid ignites debate
The conversation around clerics and politics has intensified in northern Nigeria following the political moves of several Islamic figures.
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Sheikh Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is perhaps the most prominent, having recently emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Read a post on X about Sheikh Pantami’s political involvement below:
Sokoto-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Bashir Ahmad Sani also declared his intention in February 2026 to contest the governorship seat in his state. Several other clerics of notable standing have occupied, or continue to occupy, political offices across different states.
Gumi backs clerics entering politics
Critics of clerical involvement in politics say the arena is too divisive and morally compromising for religious leaders. Their concern is that partisan activity opens scholars to public ridicule, political attacks and defamation, ultimately weakening the moral authority and respect those figures carry within Muslim communities. In their view, clerics serve society more effectively by offering spiritual guidance and holding leaders to account from outside government.
Those who back the idea reject the notion that meaningful reform can come solely from the outside. Their argument is that if a scholar possesses the knowledge, integrity and competence to lead, restricting that person to sermons and prayers alone wastes a valuable resource. They insist that responsible, qualified individuals have a duty to join governance and contribute directly to changing the country’s direction.
Gumi’s remarks align clearly with the latter camp, reinforcing the view that active participation, not passive supplication, is the more impactful choice for religious figures with the capacity to lead.
Read Sheikh Gumi’s Facebook post here.
PDP aspirant challenges Pantami’s candidacy
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Gombe PDP governorship aspirant, Monica Yahaya Kaltho, withdrew from the court case filed by aggrieved aspirants who were disqualified from participating in the party’s governorship primary, declaring her full support for the party’s governorship candidate Pantami ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kaltho said her decision followed consultations and a personal appeal from the PDP leader in Gombe state, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, who urged her to withdraw from the suit in the interest of party unity. Describing Dankwambo as a father figure whose counsel she deeply respects, she said preserving the cohesion of the PDP and prioritising the welfare of the people of Gombe were more important than pursuing her personal political ambition.
Source: Legit.ng