Investigative journalist Jaafar Jaafar has claimed that the recent military threat issued by United States President Donald Trump against Nigeria may be a consequence of President Bola Tinubu’s controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Jaafar, who made the remark in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, suggested that Trump’s actions were a form of “karmic payback” for the Tinubu administration’s use of religion as a political strategy during the 2023 general elections.
His comments followed Trump’s recent decision to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged violence against Christians and the federal government’s purported failure to protect religious minorities. Despite the Nigerian government’s denial of any systematic persecution, Trump reportedly warned that the United States might consider military action if the situation was not addressed swiftly.
Reacting to the development, Jaafar accused Trump of also weaponizing religion to stir division and resentment in Nigeria, likening it to the same religious undertones that dominated the 2023 election cycle.
According to him, while Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket may have been politically strategic, it was ultimately detrimental to Nigeria’s stability and national cohesion.
In his post, Jaafar wrote:
“Trump’s selective outbursts over killings under the Tinubu administration is a karmic payback for using religion to gain political advantage. Trump too is unfairly using religion to stoke anger and divide us. Even if the Muslim-Muslim ticket is politically correct, it is wrong for our stability as a nation. Politics is not just a game of numbers, but a game of inclusivity and give-and-take. Numbers can produce votes but not political stability and unity.”
Jaafar’s statement has stirred debate online, with many Nigerians weighing in on the intersection of religion, politics, and foreign diplomacy in the ongoing tensions between Abuja and Washington.
Comments