The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria has cautioned that it will not recognise or legitimise any election conducted under compromised conditions, insisting that integrity remains the foundation of democratic credibility as the country heads toward the 2027 general elections.
The warning was issued during the Council’s Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly in Abuja, attended by Islamic scholars, community leaders and professionals.
Speaking at the event, the Council’s President, Sheikh Bashir Aliyu Umar, said public confidence in institutions—especially the electoral body—was central to national stability, stressing that elections overseen by individuals with questionable integrity would lack legitimacy.
The Council also expressed concern over developments around the leadership of INEC, warning that any cloud of doubt would erode public trust.
Beyond elections, the Council lamented worsening insecurity, economic hardship and declining trust in governance, while condemning violence and rejecting inflammatory narratives around religious conflicts.
It criticised aspects of tax reforms, federal appointments imbalance and budget priorities, reaffirmed Muslims’ constitutional right to Shari’ah, condemned the war in Gaza, and urged Islamic scholars to promote unity and moral renewal during Ramadan.
