Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, a muslim cleric based in Kaduna has urged both President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammad Buhari to shelve their plans to contest the 2015 presidential election.

Buhari is the favorite to win the ticket of the All Progressives Congress. And Jonathan is dead certain to be the torchbearer of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Both candidates in Gumi’s view are polar opposites, capable of generating extreme reactions.

Ahmad Gumi

In an article published by Saharareporters, Gumi argued that the two politicians will further divide Nigerians along religious lines and further throw the nation into turmoil, whatever the outcome of the election in February 2015.

“Nigeria now needs peace and stability first. Then we talk of good governance later even though it’s the source of the predicament we are facing. The present government has already charged the situation and played the religious divide to it’s advantage. It’s in circulation now, a South West pastor calling on Christians and the church to vote Jonathan as their only Savior. This religious card will be used to cover for his deficiency in governance.

“Your Excellency, you should understand too, that many if not most of your supporters are also looking up to you to protect them from the onslaught on their religion and region. This also the Christian will never believe the otherwise. Therefore the stage is set for religious confrontation which is the least the nation needs,” he counselled Buhari.

In the same vein,he urged the PDP to look for another candidate, instead of fielding Jonathan:

“On the other hand if Jonathan comes back. Boko Haram will be real not the political one we see. The turmoil will engulf the whole country not only the north. That is why I also call on PDP to present some other candidates”

Below is an excerpted version of Gumi’s open letter to Buhari, as published by Saharareporters

I know I have access to your privy but this is meant for others to learn also.

The prophet -peace be upon him- told one of the most honest and truthful of his companions Abu Zar Algafary: “oh Abu Zar, I truly love for you what I love for myself. I indeed see that you are weak so never accept to lead even two people and never accept safekeeping of the orphans wealth’

An honest and candid advice from the prophet that is still valid today for any leader who’s weakness borders on leadership qualities.

The reason for Abu Zar’s weakness has nothing to do with his credibility or truthfulness. Never! The prophet was narrated as saying: “there is nobody under the shadows of trees or bare sun that is more honest in speech than Abu Zar”

Abu Zar – May Allah be pleased with him- is ascetic and inmaterialistic. Abu Zar is incorruptible. And yet he is not suitable for leadership.

I am not claiming to be even by an atom’s weight anything close to our noble prophet, yet I am encouraged to give you this same advice by the virtue that you are not also close to Abu Zar in piety. We are living in a time of great tribulations and fitnah especially for this Ummah because of our collective iniquities, ignorance of religious instructions and the love of Dunyah.

Sir, your weakness is not in your past impeccable record of accountability of public wealth and the fight against corruption and indispiline. Your weakness is in your inability to control men compounded further by your strict and obsessive rejection of corruption.