I Am Under Pressure to Contest For Lokoja | Assembly Seat — Abubilat.

There are growing speculations that a Honourable Commissioner in the Kogi State Hajj Commission and Chief Imam of Isa Kutepa Central Mosque, Lokoja, Imam Muhammad Yahaya Abubilat, a prominent Islamic cleric, may contest to represent Lokoja I Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly.

The speculation intensified a few weeks ago when Abubilat confirmed after his Juma’at sermon that there had been sustained pressure on him from various quarters within Lokoja I, including some Islamic clerics, stakeholders, and associations across all wards in the constituency, urging him to join the race.

Abubilat, a distinguished Islamic scholar with vast knowledge in Qur’anic exegesis, Hadith sciences, Arabic grammar, and Islamic jurisprudence, is widely respected for his commitment to Islamic values, community service, and interfaith harmony.

He said:

“There is a persistent and consistent pressure on me to contest to represent Lokoja I at the Kogi State House of Assembly.

“Different groups across various wards, from Ward A to E, have been reaching out to me to run. Even respected fellow clerics, and community stakeholders have added their voices. I am already consulting and will make my decision known very soon.”

Abubilat, who has served as Chief Imam of Isa Kutepa Central Mosque for over a decade, noted that he is not in a hurry to declare his ambition, stressing that consultations are still ongoing.

The cleric, whose academic journey spans both Islamic and Western education, studied at the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, and later at Usmanu Danfodio Institute, where he earned an Advanced Diploma in Arabic and Islamic Studies alongside certification from the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS).

His quest for knowledge also took him to Egypt, where he attended Al-Azhar Institute and later obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Language from Al-Azhar University in 2005. While in Cairo, he also acquired additional training in networking and computer studies.

On returning to Nigeria, he furthered his education at Kogi State Polytechnic, earning both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Public Administration between 2016 and 2020, before obtaining a B.Sc. in Political Science from Federal University Lokoja. He also holds a Certificate in Intelligence Analysis and Security Operations Risk Management (2025).

Reflecting on his possible political ambition, Abubilat said:

“Despite spending over two decades preaching peace, teaching Islamic values, and staying away from partisan politics, I now feel compelled to reconsider, given the situation on the ground and the calls from the people.”

He added that although associates and fellow clerics had long encouraged him to venture into politics, he had consistently declined due to the heavy responsibilities associated with leadership.

Beyond his religious duties, Abubilat has served in several leadership roles, including Chairman of Jami’atul Dua’at Islamiya (Islamic Propagation League), Treasurer of the Nigeria League of Imams, and Financial Secretary of the Kogi State Council of Ulama’u, Lokoja chapter.

Professionally, he was once appointed VP (Administration) at Al-Azhar International College,and has prior experience in the private sector, working with travel and aviation-related firms. He is also an author of several publications and has delivered papers at conferences across Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan.

Political observers believe that the possible entry of the first-time politician into the 2027 general elections could significantly reshape the political dynamics of Lokoja I Constituency and Kogi State at large.