Islamic clerics in Mani and Bindawa Local Government Areas of Katsina State have kicked against the emergence of Jamilu Abdu-Mani as the All Progressives Congress candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election, calling on residents to reject her at the polls.
Abdu-Mani, who currently serves as Special Adviser to the governor on girl-child education and child development, secured the party’s ticket for the Mani/Bindawa Federal Constituency through a consensus arrangement. Her emergence came after a meeting of party stakeholders where the incumbent lawmaker, Ahmad Yusuf, alongside other aspirants, lost out.
Before the final decision, Ahmad Saleh had initially been picked as the consensus candidate. However, opposition from other aspirants forced party leaders to revisit the process, eventually leading to Abdu-Mani’s selection.
The All Progressives Congress in Katsina had earlier agreed to adopt consensus in selecting candidates for the 2027 general elections. To oversee the process, a high-powered committee headed by former governor Aminu Masari was constituted, with support from senatorial leaders Ibrahim Ida, Ibrahim Jukamshi and Ahmad Dangiwa.
The decision has, however, drawn criticism from some clerics in the area. During a teaching session in Katsina, Abu Abdullahi expressed displeasure over her candidacy.
“As always, when there is an issue like this, we always have a way of settling it. The Prophet, in an authentic Hadith, cautioned us against handing leadership affairs to women. Why do we, people of this constituency, want to deviate from our religious teachings? It’s against our teachings,” he said.
Similarly, another cleric in Bindawa, Usman Salisu, urged political leaders and stakeholders to challenge the party’s decision.
“We have heard rumour that a party has opted for a woman as its flagbearer in the next election. We are respectfully calling on the chairman of Bindawa local government and other stakeholders to challenge this decision, even if it will cost them their positions, because the Prophet said any society that appoints a woman as a leader is doomed,” he stated during his Jumu’at sermon.
