KADUNA — A prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sunusi Khalil, has launched a stinging attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing the administration of a cold lack of empathy following a recent visit to victims of a national tragedy. The cleric’s remarks, which have gone viral across Northern Nigeria, highlight a growing rift between the religious leadership and the Presidency over the treatment of suffering citizens.
The outburst follows an incident where the President allegedly refused to spend time with victims who had pleaded for a face-to-face meeting. According to Sheikh Khalil, the President declined the request, citing a lack of electricity and stating he would be leaving in just ten minutes.
Campaigning Amidst the Ruins
The cleric expressed particular outrage that the same leader who claimed he couldn’t stay to comfort the grieving had the “audacity” to transition into a political campaign mode in the very same location.
“They pleaded with you to come and see these victims, instead you stood up and said no light so you will be going in the next 10 minutes,” Khalil said in a recorded session. “You still had the audacity to start campaigning in the same place. Who in their right senses will campaign for you?”
The rhetoric has struck a chord with many who feel the current administration is more focused on the 2027 electoral cycle than the immediate security and economic crises “pushing Nigerians to the wall.”
The N500 Billion Bribery Allegation
This latest critique comes on the heels of another bombshell dropped by the Sheikh last month. Khalil claimed that the APC-led government had budgeted a staggering N500 billion to “buy the conscience” of Northern Islamic scholars and traditional rulers ahead of the next election.
While the Presidency, through spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the claim as “tales by moonlight,” Khalil maintains he was personally approached and rejected the offer. He warned the administration that no amount of money could fix the damage caused by a perceived abandonment of the people’s welfare.
Northern Disillusionment
The Sheikh’s comments coincide with a broader wave of dissent in the North, recently echoed by Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, who told his people to “vote out” non-performing leaders. Political analysts suggest that the combination of religious authority and executive dissent in the President’s stronghold is a “red alert” for the APC.
As the ADC and the newly mentioned “Plan B” party, the APP, gain momentum, the words of Sheikh Khalil serve as a moral indictment of the status quo. For many, the question is no longer just about who has the best manifesto, but who has the heart to lead a nation in pain.
