The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has condemned the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria’s call for the removal of Prof. Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, warning against what it calls the politicization of religion.
Northern CAN condemned the demand as risky, unreasonable, and capable of weakening public trust in a crucial national institution, arguing that competence and integrity, rather than religious affiliation, should be used to evaluate public office holders.
The SCSN had demanded Amupitan’s immediate resignation and punishment, accusing him of compromised integrity following a court brief in which he apparently acknowledged charges of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
The Sharia council warned that Amupitan’s continued stay in office posed “a serious threat” to the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process and claimed that Muslims would not recognize or legitimize any election conducted under his leadership, alleging that his integrity “is under a cloud.”
The SCSN president, Sheikh Bashir Umar, made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja during the council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly.
On Thursday, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) supported the SCSN, renewing calls for Amupitan’s removal.
In a statement issued by its Kano State Chairman, Mallam Hassan Indabawa, MURIC stated that it completely supports the Shari’ah Council’s viewpoint.
“The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria warned that Muslims nationwide will not recognize or accept the legitimacy of any elections conducted under the leadership of Professor Joash Amupitan, the INEC chairman. The Muslim Rights Concern hereby aligns itself with the SCSN. It is a noble, consistent, justifiable, and objective position,” the statement read.
Indabawa pointed out that MURIC had previously advocated for Amupitan’s resignation in two different declarations in November 2025, citing “hate-filled” comments expressed in a 2020 legal brief.
MURIC also cited concerns previously made by other groups, such as the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, citing a potential conflict of interest “because Amupitan was part of the legal team for the ruling party during the 2023 presidential election petition.”
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According to MURIC, Amupitan’s 80-page document titled “Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria: The Implications for the International Community” argued that attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and armed herders amounted to a “coordinated anti-Christian campaign,” which contradicted the Federal Government’s consistent rejection of genocide allegations against Christians.
The group cautioned that maintaining Amupitan as INEC chairman could erode trust in the 2027 general elections.
“Our position is that the demand for Amupitan’s immediate removal, resignation, or prosecution is to safeguard the credibility of the 2027 general elections. Allowing him to superintend Nigeria’s electoral processes will erode credibility and legitimacy, as his integrity is already compromised,” MURIC said, alleging partisanship and bias against Muslims.
However, Northern CAN, in a statement issued in Kaduna and signed by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, and Secretary General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, questioned the motivation for the ongoing campaign against the INEC chairman.
The group questioned who was supporting the campaign and why such interests were purportedly hiding behind a Christian platform.
Hayab stated that Amupitan, like all Nigerians, has a constitutional right to religious freedom, and that voicing worry about challenges to one’s faith does not constitute bias or disqualification from public service.
“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.
He mentioned that several Muslims had served in sensitive government positions despite controversial religious antecedents without facing similar scrutiny, urging Nigerians to prioritize competence over sectarian sentiment.
Northern CAN warned that the scandal exacerbated long-standing worries about religious discrimination against Christians, notably in appointments to key government positions.
It observed that the two most recent INEC chairmen were Muslims from northern Nigeria and warned against narratives implying that only members of a specific religion were fit to run 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 group applauded President Bola Tinubu for naming a Christian as INEC chairman despite being a Muslim, characterizing the decision as statesman-like and inclusive.
It compared the choice to that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who kept a northern Muslim as INEC chairman despite heavy pressure.
Northern CAN encouraged the Shari’ah Council to publicly identify any individual or group behind the campaign and warned against using religious platforms as “cheap cover” to threaten public officials.
It also directed the INEC chairman to stay focused on his constitutional responsibilities to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
The group also raised alarm over what it saw as emerging indicators of a coordinated political agenda ahead of the 2027 elections, noting recent remarks by Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, on the ramifications of the APC’s non-Muslim-Muslim ticket.
According to Northern CAN, such comments, together with ongoing attacks on a Christian INEC chairman, raise concerns about efforts to undermine Christian involvement and confidence in Nigeria’s political process.
It warned that casting politics solely along religious lines would exacerbate differences and jeopardize national unity.
Similarly, the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Christian Media Forum both opposed the request for Amupitan’s removal.
In a statement signed by Jacob Dickson, National President, and Andrew Mshelia, National Secretary, the CMF denounced the proposal as false, divisive, and detrimental to national unity, saying that it might undermine public trust in democratic institutions and inflame religious tensions.
The event emphasized that democracy could only prosper if public officials were evaluated on competence, integrity, and performance rather than religious affiliation and urged religious entities to exhibit restraint while promoting peace and national cohesion.
In a statement, YOWICAN’s Chairman for the Northern States and Abuja, Evangelist Dedan Clifford, denounced the call as “unwarranted and politically motivated.”
Speaking in Kaduna, Clifford stated that because the SCSN is not a political party, it has no constitutional basis to seek the removal of the INEC chairman.
“What they are simply suggesting is that a Christian cannot hold that position. But the position is based on merit, and Prof. Amupitan deserves it,” he said.
He observed that for over 15 years, INEC chairmen, including Professors Attahiru Jega and Mahmood Yakubu, have been Muslims, with no rejection from Christians.
Clifford argued that the council’s actions could be swayed by outside interests, and he warned that Christian youngsters would fight any attempt to undermine justice in the country’s political process.
He also complimented Tinubu for promoting religious balance in appointments and advised the INEC chairman to be calm and focused on his constitutional duties.
