Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, a well-known Islamic scholar, has reacted to Shiekh Nuru Khalid, the Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque, being suspended.
The steering committee of the Apo Mosque in Abuja had dismissed the Chief Imam for giving an anti-government sermon last Friday.
During the lecture, the Imam advised congregants and all Nigerians to vote with their feet in the next 2023 general elections if the government fails to address the country’s security issues and other crises.
The lecture, which described the current status of the country, was potential of arousing public wrath, according to the committee.
The episode has sparked debate, notably on social media, with some Nigerians supporting the priest while others believing the sermon was delivered in protest of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Gumi reacted by condemning the sermon and describing it as “sentiments overcoming intellect” in an interview with Newsmen on Monday.
According to the controversial scholar, the Imam made a mistake by attempting to dissuade Nigerians from voting in the election to remove terrible leaders, claiming that he is worse than kidnappers.
“It’s a case of feelings overwhelming intelligence,” he remarked. Calling on the people not to vote out inept governments through mass voting is worse than a few kidnappings and a faulty judgment.”