Imam Removed Over Alleged Tinubu Support Tenders Apology

Dahiru Abubakar, widely known as Malam Danmalam, the Bauchi-based cleric who was allegedly  removed from his post for campaigning for President Bola Tinubu, has issued a public apology.

Controversy erupted two weeks ago after reports circulated claiming that Abubakar had been removed from his post as a chief imam in Bauchi’s Madina Quarters for publicly endorsing President Tinubu’s 2027 reelection.

The reports triggered a massive public uproar, with critics accusing him of seeking political clout, while others questioned whether he had ever held a legitimate religious position in the state.

The mounting tension eventually drew the attention of the Bauchi State Sharia Commission, which summoned the cleric to clarify the situation.

During the meeting, led by Malam Muhammad Muhammad Bununu, Commander of the Hisbah under the Sharia Commission, Abubakar was given a platform to explain his remarks.

Abubakar accused media organizations of blowing his comments out of proportion and grossly misrepresenting the scale of his congregation.

“I made the statement, but I never expected it to generate this kind of controversy. The mosque being discussed is not more than two prayer rows; it is a small mosque. It is not a Friday mosque, but some people across the world understood it to be a large Friday mosque,” Abubakar said.

He lamented how political sensitivities had distorted his words, adding, “I never said it was a Friday mosque. It is a small mosque. The matter should not have been blown out of proportion to the extent of damaging the reputation of some governments. I know how we politicians behave and how people react. When you make one statement, someone can twist it into almost ten different interpretations.”

Apologizing for the confusion caused, Abubakar stated that he never intended to cause offense or ignite a national debate.

“In the name of Allah, I apologise to everyone who understood it to mean that it was a Juma’at mosque. That was not what I meant. I was referring to a small mosque,” he stated.

He further revealed that his entire congregation consists of a mere seven worshippers and noted that they had already resolved any internal grievances regarding his brief removal. (Daily trust)