The campaign for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, gathered fresh momentum yesterday as the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) defended its earlier demand for his dismissal, insisting the call is driven by concerns over integrity and institutional neutrality rather than religion.
The renewed push has deepened national debate, with political actors and advocacy groups warning of possible implications for public confidence in the electoral process if the controversy is not decisively addressed.
In a statement issued after its Annual Pre-Ramadan Conference and General Assembly held on January 28, the Council said its earlier resolution had been widely misunderstood and taken out of context. It stressed that its position is rooted in constitutional responsibility and the need to protect national cohesion.
According to the Council, the controversy stems from a legal brief allegedly authored by the INEC chairman in 2020, which reportedly portrayed Nigeria as experiencing genocide against Christians and linked insecurity in Northern Nigeria to historical religious movements.
The Council described the claims as divisive and destabilising, arguing that such views could undermine the neutrality required of the head of the country’s electoral body.
“The Council states unequivocally that its position is not motivated by religion or sectarian considerations, but by grave concerns relating to national cohesion, institutional integrity and constitutionalism,” the statement noted.
It also recalled that since independence, most heads of Nigeria’s electoral bodies have been Christians without opposition from Muslims, insisting that the present demand cannot be interpreted as religious bias.
Speaking on the development, SCSN President and Imam of Al-Furqan Mosque, Kano, Dr Bashir Aliyu Umar, maintained that the issue is about integrity and judgment, urging the President to act in the interest of national unity.
Support for the call also emerged from some Northern political voices. A former Kano State House of Assembly aspirant, Mukhtar Adnan, said the electoral umpire must be seen as impartial by all Nigerians, arguing that the allegations against the chairman have raised doubts about public trust.
Similarly, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) youth activist in Kaduna, Comrade Nura Usman, warned that failure to address the growing concerns could weaken confidence in future elections and deepen national divisions.
Usman urged the Presidency to take decisive steps to safeguard the credibility of the electoral system, stressing that INEC’s leadership must remain above controversy.
