Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate Seyi Makinde has urged Nigerians not to let religion divide them before the 2027 elections, pointing to the mixed-faith background of his own family.
He spoke on Saturday, November 14, 2026, ValidViewNetwork reports, while opening a three-day conference of the League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland.
The event held at the Jogor Centre, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
A FAMILY STORY AS EVIDENCE
Makinde said his grandfather, whose name he bears, lived and died as a Muslim. His father is named Olatunbosun. If he called his extended family together, he said, about 65 per cent of those in the room would be Muslims.
He argued that religion cannot divide the people of Oyo, since they share one ancestry and the same blood.
He urged the clerics to use the conference to preach unity, saying everyone is created by the same God.
Validviewnetwork reports he also cautioned Muslim clerics against letting individuals exploit religious sentiment to create confusion during the electoral process. He asked them to promote peaceful participation and tolerance.
WHAT THE CLERICS SAID
Leaders of the league stressed that the body is not a political platform. Board of Trustees chairman Muhammad Abdullahi El-Ilory said the clerics would not endorse any politician or party, and would only pray for credible leaders.
President Jamiu Kewulere said Imams should guide followers and teach Islam rather than join partisan politics.
WHO ATTENDED
Guests included the APM’s Oyo governorship candidate Bimbo Adekanmbi and his running mate Open Salawu, and PDP governorship candidate Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Also present were the Chief Imam of Ibadanland Abdulganiy Abubakar, Grand Mufti of Yorubaland AbdulRasaq Ishola, the Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Afolabi Olaoye, and the Onigbeti of Igbeti Oba Bashir Abioye.
Clerics, traditional rulers and political leaders came from Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos and Ondo states.
THE WIDER CAMPAIGN CONTEXT
Makinde has returned to this theme repeatedly. On October 29 he urged Nigerians to reject division along religious or ethnic lines, saying the country’s challenges do not discriminate by faith.
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Last Sunday he spoke at a church service in Jos and urged Christians to take part in politics. Together, the two appearances show him courting both faith communities as his campaign gathers pace. ValidViewNetwork reports.