Tinubu Warns Religious Leaders Against Using Pulpits to Fuel 2027 Election Tensions

ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Christian leaders to use their influence to promote peaceful participation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that churches and pulpits must not become channels for political incitement, hate speech or religious division.

The President’s message came as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the next general election, placing renewed attention on the role of religious institutions and other influential community leaders in shaping public opinion.

Tinubu delivered the message on Wednesday in Abuja during the 2026 International Synod of Charismatic Archbishops, Bishops and Apostles at the National Christian Centre. He was represented at the gathering by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

Tinubu: Elections must not come at the expense of national peace

According to the President, political competition should not be allowed to undermine Nigeria’s broader national interest.

He urged Christian leaders to encourage their congregations and communities to participate peacefully in the electoral process while speaking out against practices capable of weakening democracy.

Among the issues he identified were vote buying, hate speech and the use of ethnic or religious identity as political weapons.

Tinubu also called for political campaigns to focus more on policies and issues rather than personal attacks or divisive rhetoric.

His warning to religious leaders was particularly direct: the pulpit, he said, should remain a place for moral guidance and conscience rather than becoming an instrument for incitement.

The President argued that political ambitions are temporary, while Nigeria’s national interests and unity extend beyond individual elections.

Why religious leaders matter ahead of 2027

The appeal reflects the significant influence religious institutions continue to wield in Nigerian society.

Churches and other faith-based organisations have large and highly organised communities across the country. Messages delivered by prominent religious leaders can therefore influence public conversations on elections, leadership, social responsibility and national unity.

That influence can be constructive when used to encourage peaceful participation, voter awareness and tolerance. It can also become problematic when political disagreements are presented primarily through ethnic or religious identities.

The Federal Government’s latest appeal therefore places religious leaders among the wider group of stakeholders expected to help prevent electoral tensions from escalating.

Government links election stability with national security

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris also urged religious leaders to become more active in preventing radicalisation and criminality among young Nigerians.

Idris said religious leaders could contribute to community-based early-warning systems, dialogue and efforts aimed at preventing young people from being drawn into violent or extremist activities.

He stressed that maintaining Nigeria’s unity could not be treated as the responsibility of government alone.

The minister further said the government remained committed to protecting freedom of worship and ensuring that Nigerians of different faiths could live and worship without discrimination.

He warned against allowing political competition to create divisions between Christians and Muslims, northern and southern communities or different ethnic groups.

The economic dimension

Tinubu also used the gathering to acknowledge the economic pressure experienced by Nigerians as the government implements its ongoing reforms.

The President commended citizens for what he described as their resilience and patriotism and maintained that the Federal Government remained focused on improving household incomes, reducing hardship and ensuring that the benefits of its economic policies increasingly reach Nigerians.

Economic conditions are likely to remain an important issue in the political debate leading into 2027, making the President’s appeal for issue-based campaigns particularly significant.

Christian group declares support for Tinubu

While the President was urging religious leaders to avoid turning their platforms into instruments of political division, the gathering also produced a significant political declaration.

The President-General of the Christian organisation, Archbishop Prof. Leonard Bature Kawas, announced support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Kawas said the group had reviewed the administration’s performance and was prepared to continue supporting the President through prayers, advocacy and public engagement.

He cited what he described as the administration’s efforts toward national development and inclusivity.

The declaration means the event was not solely about a call for political neutrality. It also highlighted the increasingly visible intersection between religious leadership and electoral politics as Nigeria moves toward 2027.

A broader pattern in Tinubu’s engagement with religious leaders

The President’s latest appeal also comes against the background of his administration’s continuing engagement with religious leaders over security, tolerance and national cohesion.

In July 2026, Tinubu told the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria that religious leaders should actively condemn violent attacks, guide their members and support efforts to tackle insecurity. The Catholic bishops also raised concerns about security, democracy, credible elections and poverty during that meeting.

Earlier in July, Tinubu also told a senior Vatican official that his administration would continue working on religious harmony and encouraged religious leaders to promote peace and tolerance.

The repeated engagement suggests that faith-based institutions are being viewed by the administration as important partners in addressing security concerns, social tensions and national cohesion.

What Nigerians should watch as 2027 approaches

The most important question will be whether political and religious leaders can maintain a distinction between legitimate political participation and rhetoric that could deepen social divisions.

For voters, several issues are likely to remain central as the election approaches:

• Whether political campaigns remain focused on policies and governance.
• How parties and candidates address economic hardship and household incomes.
• The extent to which vote buying and other electoral malpractice are challenged.
• Whether political messaging avoids ethnic and religious mobilisation.
• How religious institutions use their influence among young voters.
• Whether political disagreements remain within peaceful democratic channels.

The 2027 election is still ahead, but the political environment surrounding it is already taking shape. Tinubu’s warning places religious leaders firmly within the conversation about how that environment develops.

For churches and other faith-based organisations, the challenge will be to participate in democratic discourse without allowing political competition to undermine religious tolerance, national unity or peaceful coexistence.