A fierce clash has erupted 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 the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) take opposing positions on calls to remove INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan.
The controversy began when the SCSN, at its 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly in Abuja, demanded Amupitan’s immediate removal and prosecution.
The council accused him of compromised integrity, citing a 2020 legal brief in which he reportedly highlighted claims of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria. SCSN warned that Muslims would not recognise or accept the legitimacy of elections conducted under his leadership, claiming his continued tenure posed “a serious threat” to the credibility of the electoral process.
MURIC lent support to the council’s position. Mallam Hassan Indabawa, Kano State Chairman, said Amupitan’s role in the 2023 presidential election petition and his 80-page legal brief Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria: The Implications for the International Community suggested partisanship. The group argued that his retention could undermine public trust in the 2027 general elections.
Northern CAN, however, strongly rejected the demand, describing it as politically motivated, dangerous, and a misuse of religion. In a statement signed by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, and Secretary-General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, the association said competence and integrity, not faith, should determine eligibility for public office.
Hayab argued that Amupitan, like any Nigerian, has a constitutional right to practice his faith. He also noted that past INEC chairmen, including Professors Attahiru Jega and Mahmood Yakubu, were Muslims from northern Nigeria without facing similar religious objections. “The focus should be on competence, not religion,” the statement said, praising President Bola Tinubu for appointing a Christian INEC chairman in a move that reinforced inclusivity.
Other Christian groups have joined the pushback. The Youth Wing of CAN (YOWICAN) and the Christian Media Forum (CMF) condemned the call for Amupitan’s removal, warning that it risks inflaming religious tensions and undermining national unity. Evangelist Dedan Clifford, YOWICAN’s Chairman for northern states and Abuja, called the SCSN’s action “politically motivated and unwarranted,” adding that the council has no constitutional authority to demand the chairman’s ouster.
Northern CAN also warned that framing politics along religious lines could deepen divisions, urging Amupitan to remain focused on conducting free, fair, and credible elections. The dispute, which exposes tensions between religious and political interests, comes amid growing concerns over election credibility as Nigeria heads toward the 2027 polls.
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