The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has intensified its call for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), by bringing the matter before the National Assembly.
The group is demanding Amupitan’s sack for allegedly providing an 80-page legal brief on Christian genocide, which was apparently utilized by the US to accuse Nigeria.
MURIC’s fresh agitation was announced on Wednesday in a news statement signed by its founder and executive director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
“Three months after Islamic organizations began their demand for the removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the latter is still in office,” the statement read.
MURIC accused the Presidency of ignoring complaints raised by Islamic groups.
“The presidency appears uninterested in listening to complaints coming from Islamic organizations (most especially MURIC) about the INEC boss.
“This is in spite of indisputable evidence of deep involvement of the INEC boss in levelling false allegations and fraudulent charges against Nigerian Muslims before the American audience,” it stated.
MURIC further questioned what it described as selective responsiveness by the Presidency.
“We are intrigued by the speed at which the presidency responds when terrorists who are less than one percent of the population make their frivolous demands and the lukewarm approach of the same presidency to genuine, evidence-backed, and undeniable complaints of peace-loving, dialogue-compliant, and law-abiding Islamic organizations,” the statement added.
The organization raised concerns about Amupitan’s neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“How can the presidency impose a man who exhibited extreme hatred for Nigerian Muslims, in words and in deeds, on the Muslim electorate and their candidates as the referee in a game where his word is final?
“Take it or leave it; this issue of Amupitan’s documented anti-Muslim prejudice may become the crux of the matter either at the national or state level of an election dispute in 2027.
“You will say MURIC said so,” the statement added.
The Islamic group stated that it had resolved to seek legislative intervention.
“Since the presidency appears uninterested in listening to the complaints of Muslims against Amupitan, we must take his case to the court of the people’s representatives, the National Assembly.
“It is not about his religion. It is about the fanatical, hateful, and vicious approach adopted by him towards Nigerian Muslims,” the group said.
It stated that the National Assembly has a moral duty to hear its case.
“The NASS has a moral duty to listen to the case of Nigerian Muslims against Amupitan.
“As law-abiding and peace-loving citizens, we have brought our case to the Red and Green chambers for adjudication.
“We deserve listening ears as taxpayers. We deserve attention as bona fide Nigerians.
“We reject Amupitan as INEC boss for the ignoble role he played in bringing American troops to Nigeria. He cannot be an impartial referee in the 2027 contest. Amupitan must go,” it added.
“For the records and for the umpteenth time, today’s renewal of our demand that Prof. Joash Amupitan must be removed as INEC boss will again go into the chronicles of Nigerian history. Fortunately, the internet does not forget.
“The number of times we made the demand without getting a single response is now on record,” it added.
While stating that its perspective was not religious, MURIC advocated for a neutral alternative.
“Give us a good Christian, a Christian who has no death wish for his Muslim compatriot.
“Amupitan cannot be a good referee in a contest involving Muslims after inviting America to come and deal with Muslims in the process of ‘protecting Nigerian Christians.’
“There are many good Christians who will do this INEC job without exhibiting any bias towards Muslims.
“For the record, many Christians have held that position in the past without the Muslims complaining,” MURIC said.
The statement emphasized the renewed request for Amupitan’s removal.
“Amupitan must go! That is the battle cry. Whoever thinks we have forgotten this demand is making a big mistake. Our cause is just. We have been stabbed in the back. No retreat, no surrender,” the group concluded.
