Northern CAN rejects calls by Islamic groups for the removal of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, warning against politicising religion and undermining democracy

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory has faulted calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) and allied groups for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, warning against what it described as the politicisation of religion.

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Northern CAN described the demand as dangerous, unjustified and capable of undermining public confidence in a critical national institution, insisting that competence and integrity—not religious affiliation—should remain the benchmark for assessing public office holders.

The SCSN had called for the immediate removal and prosecution of Amupitan, alleging compromised integrity over a legal brief in which he reportedly acknowledged claims of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

The council warned that Muslims would not recognise or legitimise any election conducted under his leadership, claiming his integrity “is under a cloud.”

The SCSN President, Sheikh Bashir Umar, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly.

On Thursday, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) backed the SCSN, renewing calls for Amupitan’s removal.

In a statement by its Kano State Chairman, Mallam Hassan Indabawa, MURIC said it aligned fully with the Shari’ah Council’s position, warning that retaining Amupitan could undermine confidence in the 2027 general elections.

MURIC also referenced a 2020 legal brief allegedly authored by Amupitan, titled “Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria:

The Implications for the International Community,” arguing that attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and armed herders amounted to a coordinated anti-Christian campaign.

The group further cited alleged conflict of interest claims, saying Amupitan was part of the legal team for the ruling party during the 2023 presidential election petition.

Reacting, Northern CAN, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, and Secretary General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, questioned the motive behind what it described as a sustained campaign against the INEC chairman.

Hayab said Amupitan, like every Nigerian, had a constitutional right to freedom of religion, stressing 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 read.

Northern CAN warned that the controversy reinforced long-standing concerns about religious discrimination against Christians, particularly in appointments to sensitive national offices.

It 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.

The association commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing a Christian as INEC chairman, describing the decision as inclusive and statesmanlike.

It urged religious bodies to refrain from using faith as a tool for political pressure and advised the INEC chairman to remain focused on conducting free, fair and credible elections.

Similarly, the Youth Wing of CAN (YOWICAN) and the Christian Media Forum (CMF) condemned the call for Amupitan’s removal, describing it as baseless, divisive and dangerous to national unity.

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Both groups warned that framing politics strictly along religious lines could deepen divisions and threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability.