By Divine Sam
A Catholic priest has attracted public attention after a video emerged showing him leading members of his congregation in a song expressing support for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and his proposed running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The video, which is currently circulating on social media platform X, captures the priest singing in Igbo while worshippers join him in rendering a song that portrays the NDC as a better political platform.
During the service, the priest sang: “Party Peter Obi ka mma; Party Kwankwaso, ka mma!” meaning “Peter Obi’s party is better; Kwankwaso’s party is better.”
The development has generated conversations about the growing involvement of religious leaders in Nigeria’s political space as preparations and alignments for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
While some religious figures have openly expressed support for political candidates, others have used religious gatherings to make statements about the country’s political direction.
In August, Islamic cleric Sani Jingir reportedly urged Muslims to support a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2027 elections. He made the appeal during a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, where he encouraged Muslims to vote in a way that would reflect their numerical strength in the country.
Nigeria’s current president, Bola Tinubu, and Vice-President Kashim Shettima are both Muslims, a development that continues to attract conversations about religious representation in the country’s political leadership.
Traditionally, Nigeria has maintained an informal practice of balancing presidential tickets along religious lines, often pairing a Muslim presidential candidate with a Christian running mate.
Kwankwaso had earlier criticised Jingir’s position in a post on X.
Meanwhile, another religious development has emerged ahead of the next general elections, following the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term by the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
The endorsement was announced at the organisation’s 2026 synod in Abuja, which was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to reports, representatives of the conference from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones mandated its President-General, Leonard Kawas, to formally announce the decision.
Kawas disclosed that the organisation has members in 52 countries, with 950 canonical bishops in Nigeria.
He also recalled that the conference was among religious organisations that had raised concerns over the APC’s decision to adopt a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 general elections.
However, he explained that Tinubu had won the confidence of the group through his appointment of Christians to strategic positions in his administration, arguing that the president had demonstrated a willingness to accommodate the country’s religious diversity.
“We are here today to reassure him of our solid support. We are standing with him in prayers and advocacy for the good programmes he has brought forth for the liberation of Nigeria,” Kawas said.
“We stand with the president today, and as long as he is willing to be our president and even come in 2027, we will still be standing with him.”
The contrasting positions of religious leaders have once again brought the relationship between faith and politics into focus, raising questions about the influence of religious institutions and their leaders on voters as Nigeria approaches another crucial election season.
Leave a Reply