By Obinna Uballa
A fresh religious and political storm is brewing over the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) and other interest groups trade sharp words over calls for the removal of INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan.
The controversy was triggered by the SCSN’s demand for the immediate removal and prosecution of Amupitan, whom it accused of compromised integrity following a legal brief in which he reportedly acknowledged claims of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria. The council warned that Amupitan’s continued stay in office posed what it described as a “serious threat” to the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The SCSN’s President, Sheikh Bashir Umar, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly, declaring that Muslims would not recognise or legitimise any election conducted under Amupitan’s leadership.
That position was swiftly reinforced by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which, through its Kano State Chairman, Mallam Hassan Indabawa, said the group fully aligned with the Shari’ah Council’s stance. MURIC described the call for Amupitan’s removal as “noble, consistent, justifiable and objective,” recalling that it had earlier demanded his removal in November 2025 over what it termed “hate-filled” views expressed in a 2020 legal brief.
The group further alleged a potential conflict of interest, claiming that Amupitan was part of the legal team for the ruling party during the 2023 presidential election petition. According to MURIC, Amupitan’s 80-page document titled Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria: The Implications for the International Community portrayed attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and armed herders as a coordinated anti-Christian campaign, an assertion it said contradicted the Federal Government’s official position.
“Our position is that the demand for Amupitan’s immediate removal, resignation or prosecution is to safeguard the credibility of the 2027 general elections,” MURIC said, warning that retaining him could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
However, Northern CAN strongly rejected the calls, describing them as dangerous, unjustified and an attempt to politicise religion. In a statement jointly signed in Kaduna by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, and Secretary General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, the association warned that targeting the INEC chairman on religious grounds could undermine confidence in a critical national institution.
Northern CAN insisted that competence and integrity, not religious affiliation, should be the yardstick for assessing public office holders. It questioned the motive behind what it described as a sustained campaign against Amupitan, asking who was sponsoring it and why such interests were allegedly hiding under a religious platform.
Hayab stressed that Amupitan, like every Nigerian, enjoys the constitutional right to freedom of religion, adding that expressing concern over challenges faced by one’s faith did not amount to bias or disqualification from public office.
“Anyone hiding under the guise of the Shari’ah Council to demand the removal of the INEC chairman over political or sectarian interests should come out boldly. Otherwise, the ploy has died naturally,” the statement said.
The association recalled that the two immediate past INEC chairmen were Muslims from northern Nigeria and cautioned against narratives suggesting that only adherents of a particular religion were qualified to lead the electoral body.
“Are they saying no other religion should serve as INEC chairman except Muslims? The most important question Nigerians should ask is whether Professor Amupitan is competent or not. That should be the focus, not his faith,” Hayab said.
Northern CAN also commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing a Christian as INEC chairman despite being a Muslim, describing the move as inclusive and statesmanlike. It likened the decision to that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who retained a northern Muslim as INEC chairman amid pressure.
Beyond CAN and MURIC, the debate has drawn in other Christian groups, deepening concerns about religious polarisation ahead of the 2027 elections. The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) and the Christian Media Forum (CMF) condemned the call for Amupitan’s removal, describing it as baseless, divisive and dangerous to national unity.
In a joint statement signed by CMF National President, Jacob Dickson, and National Secretary, Andrew Mshelia, the forum warned that such demands could inflame religious tensions and erode confidence in democratic institutions. It urged religious bodies to exercise restraint and promote peace and national cohesion.
Similarly, YOWICAN’s Chairman for the northern states and Abuja, Evangelist Dedan Clifford, described the call as “unwarranted and politically motivated,” arguing that the Shari’ah Council, not being a political party, had no constitutional basis to demand the removal of the INEC chairman.
“For over 15 years, INEC chairmen, including Professors Attahiru Jega and Mahmood Yakubu, were Muslims, and there were no objections from Christians,” Clifford noted, warning that Christian youths would resist any attempt to undermine fairness in Nigeria’s democratic process.
