Growing Demands to Dismiss INEC Chairman as Northern Voices Rise in Support of SCSN Stance

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has clarified why it called for the removal and prosecution of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, insisting that its position has nothing to do with religion.

Recall that SCSN last week had demanded the immediate dismissal and prosecution of Amupitan, alleging that his integrity was compromised after he reportedly confirmed claims of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria in a legal brief.

The call by the SCSN for the removal and prosecution of Amupitan stirred reactions across the country with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory criticizing the Council for demanding the removal of the INEC Chairman, cautioning against turning religion into a political tool.

In a statement shared to DAILY POST on Wednesday dated 2nd February, the Council said its resolution was adopted during its Annual Pre-Ramadan Conference and General Assembly held on January 28, 2026, but was later misconstrued and amplified out of context.

According to SCSN, the call was based on concerns about national unity, constitutional responsibility, and the neutrality required of an electoral umpire, not the religious background of the INEC chairman.

“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 said.

The Council recalled that since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, most heads of electoral bodies have been Christians, adding that Muslims never opposed their appointments on religious grounds.

“From Eyo Esua in 1964 to date, the overwhelming majority of those who have headed Nigeria’s electoral institutions have been Christians. Of the thirteen (13) chairmen who have led the Commission, only two (Prof. Attahiru Jega and Prof. Mahmood Yakubu) are Muslims. At no point have Muslims mobilised opposition against any chairman on religious grounds. All were accepted on the basis of institutional legitimacy, not faith. This historical record decisively invalidates the claim that the present call is rooted in religious bias,” SCSN noted.

SCSN said what distinguishes Prof. Amupitan’s case is his documented record of conduct and views, particularly a legal brief he authored in 2020, which the Council described as toxic, provocative and deeply prejudicial against Nigerian Muslims and Northern Nigeria.

Of particular concern, the Council said, are claims of a so-called Christian genocide in Nigeria and attempts to link present-day insecurity in the North to the 19th-century jihad of Sheikh Uthman bin Fodio.

“These claims are historically inaccurate and dangerously destabilising in a fragile, multi-religious country like Nigeria,” the statement said.

The Council also expressed alarm that such claims were allegedly presented to foreign actors, portraying Nigeria as a country facing religious extermination.

“Such conduct constitutes a serious breach of patriotic responsibility and is incompatible with the neutrality expected of the Chairman of INEC,” it added.

SCSN rejected the narrative of a Christian genocide, stressing that violence in Northern Nigeria is complex and affects both Muslims and Christians.

“Available data show that Muslims constitute the majority of victims in states like Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and others. Advancing a one-sided persecution narrative is intellectually dishonest,” the Council said.

It further argued that anyone whose past writings show bias or hostility toward a major faith group cannot command public trust in a plural society.

Since the controversy became public, SCSN said Prof. Amupitan has not denied authoring the document nor issued an apology or retraction, while the Federal Government has reportedly had to counter the claims internationally.

“Nigeria has suffered embarrassment, financial cost and reputational damage,” the Council said, adding that such consequences are enough grounds for removal and legal accountability.

“Recent media reports alleging that millions of dollars were paid to foreign lobbyists to counter the fallout from these falsehoods further underscore the gravity of the harm caused. In any responsible society, such consequences alone constitute sufficient grounds for resignation, removal, and legal accountability,” he said.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Wednesday, the President of SCSN and Imam of Al-Furqan Mosque in Kano, Dr Bashir Aliyu Umar, said the issue is purely about integrity.

“It is not about religious affiliation. It is about integrity and the ability to rise overboard on issues that will compromise a person’s sense of judgment,” he said.

Dr Bashir added that the Council is not a political party but an advocacy group.

“We have made our position known. We just hope the President will hearken to the call we expressed on behalf of the multitudes of Muslims led by scholars and religious guides under the Council,” he said.

The Council concluded by reaffirming its support for fair and competent leadership regardless of faith and urged Nigerians not to be misled by divisive narratives.

INEC Chairman cannot be trusted – Mukhtar Adnan

A former Kano State House of Assembly aspirant, Mukhtar Adnan, has said the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot be trusted to oversee Nigeria’s electoral process, backing calls for his removal from office.

Adnan made the statement in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST while reacting to the position of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), which has demanded that the INEC chairman step aside over what it described as concerns about integrity and neutrality.

According to Adnan, the credibility of the electoral body is at risk if the chairman remains in office, especially following allegations that he wrote a letter to international bodies accusing Nigerian Muslims of carrying out genocide against Christians.

“How do you expect neutrality from a man who has taken such a position?” Adnan asked.

“All evidence points to the fact that he is a tribalist and an ethnic jingoist, and such a person cannot be trusted to handle the electoral process in this country.”

He claimed that the letter, reportedly sent to the United States and the United Nations using the name of the chairman’s law firm, falsely alleged the existence of genocide in Nigeria.

Adnan said the chairman has not publicly denied authoring the letter, further deepening concerns about his impartiality.

Adnan stressed that Nigeria is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country and that the head of the electoral commission must be seen as fair and unbiased by all sections of the population.

“I stand with the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria. The man should bow out. The President should sack him,” he said.

He added that if the INEC chairman is removed, the President should appoint someone of credible integrity, non-partisan, and without religious or ethnic bias to protect the credibility of future elections.

INEC must be completely neutral to preserve public trust – Nura Usman

A politician and youth activist with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Comrade Nura Usman in Kaduna, also thrown his weight behind the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), insisting that the leadership of INEC must be completely neutral to protect public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Usman said the concerns raised by the Council are too serious to be overlooked.

“The electoral leadership must be completely neutral to preserve public trust,” Usman said.

“By calling for fairness, accountability, and unity, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah is reminding the country that integrity and justice must guide our leadership.”

He warned that ignoring the call by the Council for the removal of the INEC chairman could have serious consequences, especially at a time when Nigerian politics is deeply divided along religious and ethnic lines.

“If this call is ignored, the immediate consequence will be loss of confidence in the electoral process,” he said.

“This can affect voter turnout and give opposition parties grounds to controversially challenge the legitimacy of any government that emerges.”

According to him, the long-term impact could be even more damaging.

“In the long run, it will lead to erosion of trust in institutions that are supposed to be independent, like INEC. It will also increase polarization along religious lines and deepen divisions in the country.”

Usman acknowledged that some Nigerians may see the call for the chairman’s removal through a religious lens because it came from Muslim groups.

However, he insisted that such an interpretation misses the real issue.

“We should not be looking at this from a religious or tribal point of view. It is not about targeting Christians or any minority group. This is a call for transparency, accountability, and neutrality in the electoral process.”

He added that issues arising from the controversy must be properly mitigated through decisive action by both the President and the National Assembly.

“Since the INEC chairman is still in office despite the legal brief he allegedly wrote, and the calls for his removal are growing, failing to address this will affect the entire electoral process,” he said.

Usman went further to accuse the INEC chairman of damaging Nigeria’s image internationally, describing the alleged legal brief as dangerous to national unity.

“In a serious country, by now he should be answering questions for a treasonable felony. You cannot set up your own country before foreign bodies using lies and concocted facts and still be trusted to conduct elections. That is very dangerous.”

Usman argued that Nigeria should not allow what he described as religion merchants to influence the conduct of elections.

“Should we allow religion to be used to conduct an election that will be stained from the beginning? I think no,” he said.

Calling for decisive action, Usman said the best option is for the President to remove the current INEC chairman and appoint another person without credibility issues.

“After removing him, the President can appoint another Christian from a minority group or from anywhere in Nigeria. Nobody cares about religion or tribe. What matters is integrity.”

He maintained that someone facing serious questions over character and neutrality should not be allowed to lead a sensitive institution like INEC.

“You cannot allow someone with many questions hanging over his head to continue to lead an important institution like INEC,” he said.

“INEC is too sensitive. Anything that touches its integrity must be removed.”

Usman further urged the President to engage stakeholders after any decision taken.

“The President should dialogue with stakeholders and explain why the INEC chairman was removed and why he was replaced. That will help address concerns, uphold the rule of law, and affirm the independence of the Electoral Commission.”

He warned that allowing the current chairman to conduct future elections could create problems that may linger for decades.

“If he conducts the election, the problems may not be resolved even in the next 50 years,” he said.

Usman stressed that peace must remain Nigeria’s top priority.

“As Nigerians, we must understand that peace is the most important thing. Without peace, there will be no Nigeria and there will be no election. The President must listen, and must act immediately.”