Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended Sheikh Yahya Jingir over his controversial support for the continued adoption of Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections. Gumi said Jingir should be “excused” for his position, arguing that the Plateau-based cleric operates in an environment where Muslims face what he described as excessive religious bigotry. He made the remarks in a Facebook post on Monday while reacting to the controversy generated by Jingir’s recent call for Muslim-Muslim presidential tickets. “Sheik Jingir should be excused for his extreme view in politics, he dwells in the eye of the storm of excessive bigotry against Islam,” Gumi wrote. Jingir had recently praised President Bola Tinubu for adopting the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 election and urged Muslims to continue supporting the arrangement ahead of 2027. Reacting, however, Gumi said religious sentiments were not exclusive to one side of the political divide, noting that opposition politicians also exploit religion to secure votes. “Just recently a mere Muslim VC in Plateau State is stirring controversy. On the other hand, the opposition is not also free from using religion to garner votes,” he said. Gumi urged politicians and religious leaders to keep religion out of what he described as Nigeria’s “dirty politics.” “In a multi-religious entity, religion should not be dragged into the quagmire of dirty politics,” he added.