The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has warned against the growing politicisation and weaponisation of religion in Nigeria’s electoral process, cautioning stakeholders against exploiting faith to manipulate voters ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the organisation said the increasing use of religious platforms to mobilise political support threatens the country’s democracy, national cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
CISLAC said political campaigns should centre on development priorities, including healthcare, education, infrastructure, poverty reduction, employment, security and accountability, rather than religious sentiments and partisan endorsements.
The organisation raised concerns about reported gatherings of religious leaders in parts of the North to endorse political figures and parties, citing instances allegedly linked to political activities in Plateau and Jigawa states.
According to CISLAC, such practices risk reducing religious authority to an instrument of political patronage and electoral mobilisation.
‘Religious leadership is a position of trust and moral guidance, not a commercial platform for vote canvassing or the promotion of political violence and intimidation,’ the statement read.
The organisation urged religious leaders to resist attempts by politicians to exploit their influence and instead use their platforms to demand accountability, justice, competent leadership and improved welfare for citizens.
CISLAC also condemned the alleged intimidation of residents in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where individuals were allegedly threatened with eviction if they failed to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
It described the alleged threats as a serious assault on citizens’ constitutional rights to freely choose their political representatives, participate in elections and reside peacefully in their communities.
‘No political party, candidate or individual has the right to demand exclusive political loyalty from citizens under the threat of expulsion, intimidation or violence,’ CISLAC stated.
Rafsanjani called on the Federal and state governments, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other regulatory authorities to take decisive measures against the alleged use of religious institutions for electoral manipulation, inducement, intimidation and the spread of falsehoods.
The organisation urged political parties and candidates to embrace issue-based campaigns and submit themselves to scrutiny over their records, policies, competence and capacity to deliver good governance.
CISLAC appealed to citizens to reject attempts to use religion or ethnicity as a substitute for political accountability, stressing that religious sentiments should not blind voters to the socioeconomic challenges confronting their communities.
The organisation warned that continued commercialisation and weaponisation of religion for electoral gain could deepen divisions, undermine democratic institutions and threaten peaceful coexistence across the country.
It reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring electoral developments and advocating for a democratic culture rooted in competence, transparency, accountability and the genuine interests of Nigerians.