…Shari’ah Council: Amupitan Backs Christian Genocide Claims, Must Go
…CAN: Stop Hiding Politics Behind Religion, Name Your Sponsors
By Jeremy Fregene
A deepening religious rift has erupted over the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with major Christian and Muslim bodies taking sharply opposing positions on the continued stay in office of its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, in a confrontation that has heightened anxieties about faith-based pressure on Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory yesterday rejected, in strong terms, calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) for the removal of Amupitan, warning that religion is being dangerously weaponised to undermine a key democratic institution.
Northern CAN’s intervention followed a hardline declaration by the SCSN that Muslims across the country would neither recognise nor legitimise any election conducted under Amupitan’s leadership, which the Council insists has compromised the credibility of the electoral umpire.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, and Secretary General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, Northern CAN questioned the motive behind the Shari’ah Council’s demand, asking who was sponsoring the campaign and why such interests were “hiding under a religious platform.”
The Christian body described the call for Amupitan’s removal as a dangerous attempt to politicise religion, stressing that the INEC chairman has a constitutional right to freedom of religion and opinion. According to CAN, expressing concern over challenges faced by one’s faith does not amount to bias nor constitute grounds for disqualification from public office.
CAN argued that Nigeria has a long history of public officials with strong personal religious convictions, particularly Muslims who previously occupied sensitive national positions, without facing similar scrutiny or threats of delegitimisation. It urged Nigerians to focus on competence, integrity and national interest rather than the religious identity of public office holders.
The association also warned that the controversy reinforces long-standing concerns over religious discrimination against Christians in appointments to sensitive national positions, recalling that the two immediate past INEC chairmen were Muslims from Northern Nigeria. It cautioned against narratives suggesting that leadership of the electoral body should be restricted to adherents of a particular faith.
“Are they suggesting that only Muslims should serve as INEC chairman?” the statement asked. “The critical question Nigerians should ask is whether Professor Amupitan is competent. His faith should not be the issue.”
Northern CAN commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as a statesmanlike and inclusive decision to appoint a Christian as INEC chairman despite being a Muslim himself, likening the move to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to retain a Northern Muslim as INEC chairman in the interest of stability and continuity.
The Christian body advised the Shari’ah Council to openly identify any individual or group behind the campaign against Amupitan, insisting that religious platforms should not be used as a “cheap cover” for political interests or intimidation of public officials. It urged the INEC chairman to remain focused on his constitutional responsibility of conducting free, fair and credible elections and not be distracted by what it described as religious blackmail.
CAN further linked the controversy to what it called emerging signals of a coordinated political agenda ahead of 2027, citing recent comments attributed to the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, warning that the All Progressives Congress (APC) risks defeat if it abandons a Northern Muslim–Muslim ticket for President Tinubu’s re-election. According to CAN, such statements, combined with sustained attacks on a Christian INEC chairman, raise troubling questions about deliberate attempts to undermine Christian confidence and participation in the political process.
The Shari’ah Council, however, has remained unyielding. Speaking at its 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly in Abuja, the President of the Council, Sheikh Bashir Umar, renewed the call for Amupitan’s immediate removal, describing his continued stay in office as a threat to electoral integrity and national cohesion.
Umar said the Council’s position was anchored on what it described as the INEC chairman’s questionable antecedents, particularly a legal brief allegedly authored by Amupitan in which he acknowledged concerns over the persecution of Christians and sought to establish the existence of a Christian genocide in Nigeria. He argued that such claims contradict the Federal Government’s official position, which has repeatedly dismissed the notion of any genocide.
“For an umpire in a democratic process, integrity and impartiality are non-negotiable,” Umar said. “As far as we are concerned, his integrity has been compromised. The honourable thing for him to do is to resign. If he does not, the government should dismiss or retire him.”
The cleric disclosed that while the Council itself is not directly involved in litigation, it is aware that other groups have approached courts to challenge Amupitan’s appointment and continued stay in office. He insisted that the Muslim Ummah would not recognise elections conducted under what he described as compromised leadership.
The SCSN also used the forum to raise broader grievances, including worsening insecurity, economic hardship, poor budget implementation, alleged imbalance in federal appointments and what it described as attempts to undermine Muslims’ constitutional right to practise Shari’ah in Muslim-majority states. It rejected narratives of a Christian genocide, warning that such claims fuel division and threaten national unity.