Northerners Demand Removal of INEC Chairman, Support SCSN Stance

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has explained why it demanded that Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), be removed and prosecuted. The SCSN maintains that its stance is unrelated to religion.

Recall that SCSN sought Amupitan’s immediate resignation and prosecution last week, claiming that his integrity had been compromised after he allegedly corroborated allegations of genocide and persecution against Christians in Nigeria in a court brief.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Federal Capital Territory and the 19 northern states criticized the Council for calling for the removal of the INEC Chairman and warned against using religion as a political tool in response to the SCSN’s call for Amupitan’s removal and prosecution.

The Council claimed in a statement released on Wednesday, February 2, that although the resolution was approved during its Annual Pre-Ramadan Conference and General Assembly on January 28, 2026, it was subsequently misunderstood and exaggerated.

SCSN claims that rather than the INEC chairman’s religious affiliation, the call was motivated by worries about national unity, constitutional duty, and the impartiality demanded of an electoral arbiter.

According to the statement, “the Council states unequivocally that its position is motivated by grave concerns relating to national cohesion, institutional integrity, and constitutionalism, not by religion or sectarian considerations.”

Since Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, the majority of heads of electoral organizations have been Christians, the Council noted, adding that Muslims have never objected to their appointments on religious grounds.

“The vast majority of people in charge of Nigeria’s voting institutions have been Christians since Eyo Esua in 1964. Prof. Attahiru Jega and Prof. Mahmood Yakubu are the only two Muslims among the Commission’s thirteen (13) chairs. Muslim resistance to any chairman has never been organized on the basis of religion. Instead of religion, all were accepted on the basis of institutional legitimacy. The notion that the current call is motivated by religious bias is categorically refuted by this historical record, according to SCSN.

According to SCSN, Prof. Amupitan’s case stands out due to his recorded record of behavior and opinions, especially a legal brief he wrote in 2020 that the Council deemed toxic, offensive, and extremely biased toward Northern Nigeria and Nigerian Muslims.

Claims of a purported Christian genocide in Nigeria and attempts to connect the current unrest in the North to Sheikh Uthman bin Fodio’s 19th-century jihad are particularly concerning, the Council added.

In a vulnerable, multireligious nation like Nigeria, “these claims are historically inaccurate and dangerously destabilizing,” the statement stated.

The Council also voiced alarm over the suspected presentation of such allegations to international actors, which depicted Nigeria as a nation with religious extermination on the horizon.

It further stated that “such conduct constitutes a serious breach of patriotic responsibility and is incompatible with the neutrality expected of the Chairman of INEC.”

The story of a Christian genocide was denied by SCSN, which emphasized that violence in Northern Nigeria is complicated and impacts both Christians and Muslims.

In states like Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, and others, the majority of victims are Muslims, according to the data currently available. The Council declared that it is intellectually dishonest to promote a one-sided persecution narrative.

Additionally, it made the case that in a pluralistic society, a person cannot command public trust if their prior writings demonstrate prejudice or animosity toward a significant faith group.

The Federal Government has apparently had to refute the allegations globally, but Prof. Amupitan has not denied writing the letter or offered an apology or retraction since the scandal went public, according to SCSN.

According to the Council, “Nigeria has experienced embarrassment, financial cost, and reputational damage,” all of which are sufficient justifications for dismissal and legal responsibility.

The seriousness of the damage is further highlighted by recent media reports claiming that millions of dollars were given to foreign lobbyists in order to mitigate the consequences of these lies. He stated that such repercussions alone are adequate justifications for resignation, dismissal, and legal responsibility in any responsible society.

Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, the President of SCSN and Imam of Al-Furqan Mosque in Kano, stated in an exclusive interview on Wednesday that integrity is the only problem.

“Religion has nothing to do with it. It’s about honesty and the capacity to cross boundaries on matters that will impair one’s judgment,” he stated.

The Council, according to Dr. Bashir, is an advocacy organization rather than a political party.

“We are clear about our stance. On behalf of the vast numbers of Muslims headed by intellectuals and religious leaders under the Council, we only hope that the President would listen to our request,” he stated.

Nigerians should not be mislead by divisive storylines, the Council said in its conclusion, which reiterated its support for competent and equitable leadership regardless of faith.

You can’t trust the INEC Chairman, Mukhtar Adnan

Mukhtar Adnan, a former candidate for the Kano State House of Assembly, has backed efforts to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from office, claiming that he cannot be trusted to supervise Nigeria’s electoral process.

In response to the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria’s (SCSN) demand that the INEC chairman resign due to what it described as concerns about integrity and neutrality, Adnan made the declaration in an exclusive interview.

If the chairman stays in office, Adnan says, the electoral body’s legitimacy is under jeopardy, particularly in light of claims that he sent a letter to international organizations accusing Nigerian Muslims of committing genocide against Christians.

“How can you expect a man who has adopted such a stance to be neutral?” Adnan said.

“Every piece of evidence indicates that he is an ethnic jingoist and tribalist, and such a person cannot be trusted to manage this nation’s electoral process.”

He asserted that the letter, purportedly submitted to the United States and the United Nations under the chairman’s legal firm’s name, wrongly stated that genocide had occurred in Nigeria.

The chairman has not officially refuted writing the letter, which raises more questions about his objectivity, according to Adnan.

Adnan emphasized that Nigeria is a multiethnic and multireligious nation and that the president of the electoral commission must be viewed by all segments of the populace as impartial and fair.

In Nigeria, I support the Supreme Council’s stance on Shari’ah. The dude ought to leave. “The President ought to fire him,” he declared.

He went on to say that in order to preserve the legitimacy of upcoming elections, the president should name a competent individual who is impartial, free from religious or ethnic prejudice, and in the event that the INEC chairman is ousted.

Nura Usman: In order to maintain public confidence, INEC must be totally impartial.

Comrade Nura Usman, a young activist and politician with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Kaduna, also supported the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), arguing that INEC’s leadership must be wholly impartial in order to preserve public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.

“The Council’s concerns are too serious to be ignored,” Usman remarked.

According to Usman, “the electoral leadership must be completely neutral to preserve public trust.”

“The Supreme Council for Shari’ah is reminding the nation that integrity and justice must guide our leadership by advocating for fairness, accountability, and unity.”

He cautioned that there could be dire repercussions if the Council’s request to remove the INEC chairman is disregarded, particularly given how sharply divided Nigerian politics are along religious and ethnic lines.

He stated that “loss of confidence in the electoral process will be the immediate consequence if this call is ignored.”

“Voter turnout may be impacted by this, and opposition parties may be able to contentiously contest the legitimacy of any new government.”

He believes that the long-term effects could be far worse.

Over time, it will result in a decline in confidence in organizations like INEC that are meant to be autonomous. Additionally, it will intensify national tensions and polarize people along religious lines.

Given that the petition for the chairman’s ouster originated from Muslim organizations, Usman recognized that some Nigerians would see it through a religious prism.

But he maintained that the true problem is missed by this understanding.

It is not appropriate for us to approach this from a religious or tribal perspective. No minority group, including Christians, is being targeted. This is an appeal for openness, responsibility, and impartiality in the electoral process.

He went on to say that the National Assembly and the President must take prompt measures to appropriately address the problems brought on by the scandal.

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

Usman went on to call the purported legal brief “dangerous to national unity” and accuse the INEC chairman of harming Nigeria’s reputation abroad.

He ought to be responding to inquiries about a treasonous offense by now in a serious nation. You cannot use fabrications and lies to present your nation to foreign authorities and still be trusted to have elections. That poses a serious risk.

Usman made the case that Nigeria shouldn’t permit “religion merchants” to have an impact on how elections are conducted.

Should we permit the use of religion in an election that will be tainted right from the start? Probably not,” he added.

The president should remove the incumbent INEC chairman and replace him with someone who has no credibility problems, Usman added, calling for swift action.

“The President may designate another Christian from a minority group or from anyplace in Nigeria after he is removed. Tribe and religion are irrelevant. The most important thing is integrity.

He maintained that the head of a delicate organization like INEC should not be someone who is seriously questioned about their neutrality and character.

“You cannot allow someone who has a lot of unanswered questions to continue to lead a significant organization like INEC,” he stated.

“INEC is overly sympathetic. It is necessary to delete everything that compromises its integrity.

Usman also asked the President to consult stakeholders following any decision made.

“The President ought to speak with interested parties and explain the reasons behind the INEC chairman’s removal and replacement. This will support the rule of law, resolve issues, and validate the Electoral Commission’s independence.

He issued a warning, saying that letting the present chairman run elections in the future might lead to issues that last for decades.

“Even in the next fifty years, the issues might not be fixed if he runs the election,” he stated.

Usman emphasized that Nigeria’s first goal must continue to be peace.

Peace is paramount, and as Nigerians, we must recognize this. Both Nigeria and elections will be impossible without peace. The President needs to pay attention and take prompt action.