A fierce debate has erupted over the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) clash over calls for the removal of INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan.
The controversy began when the SCSN, during its 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly in Abuja, demanded Amupitan’s immediate removal and prosecution. The council accused him of compromised integrity, citing a 2020 legal brief in which he allegedly acknowledged claims of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria. The SCSN warned that Amupitan’s continued stay in office posed a “serious threat” to the credibility of Nigeria’s elections and claimed that Muslims would not recognise any vote conducted under his leadership.
MURIC, through its Kano State Chairman, Mallam Hassan Indabawa, aligned fully with the SCSN, calling the demand “noble, consistent, justifiable and objective.” The group cited Amupitan’s involvement in the 2023 presidential election petition as part of the ruling party’s legal team and alleged bias in his 80-page legal brief Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria: The Implications for the International Community, which described attacks by Boko Haram and armed herders as a “coordinated anti-Christian campaign.” MURIC warned that retaining Amupitan could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
In response, Northern CAN strongly rejected the call for removal, describing it as dangerous, unjustified, and a politicisation of religion. In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, and Secretary General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, the association urged that competence and integrity, not religious affiliation, should determine eligibility for public office. They also questioned the motives behind the sustained campaign, asking who was using religious platforms to advance political interests.
Hayab emphasized that Amupitan, like any Nigerian, has the constitutional right to practice his faith, stressing that concern over challenges faced by one’s religious community does not equate to bias or disqualification. The association also highlighted that previous INEC chairmen, including Professors Attahiru Jega and Mahmood Yakubu, were Muslims from northern Nigeria, and no religious objections were raised.
“The key question should be whether Professor Amupitan is competent, not his religion,” Northern CAN stated, commending President Bola Tinubu for appointing a Christian to the post, describing it as an inclusive and statesmanlike decision. The statement likened the move to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to retain a northern Muslim INEC chairman despite pressure.
Other Christian groups have also entered the fray. The Youth Wing of CAN (YOWICAN) and the Christian Media Forum (CMF) condemned the SCSN and MURIC stance, warning that it risks inflaming religious tensions and undermining national unity. Evangelist Dedan Clifford, YOWICAN’s Chairman for the northern states and Abuja, described the call as “politically motivated and unwarranted,” emphasizing that the Shari’ah Council had no constitutional authority to demand Amupitan’s removal.
Clifford further noted that Christian youths would resist any attempt to politicize the issue along religious lines, praising President Tinubu for promoting inclusivity in national appointments. Northern CAN warned that turning politics into a religious contest could threaten national cohesion and urged Amupitan to focus on his constitutional responsibility of conducting free, fair, and credible elections.