The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has officially declared its opposition to the leadership of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
During its 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly held on Tuesday in Abuja, the Council made it clear that the Muslim community would not accept the results of any election managed by Amupitan.
The event, which focused on the theme “Nigeria’s Future: Faith, Justice, and Leadership,” served as a platform for the Council to voice its lack of confidence in the electoral umpire’s neutrality.
Sheikh Bashir Umar, President of the SCSN, addressed the assembly, stating that Amupitan’s presence at the helm of INEC poses a direct threat to the transparency of the 2027 general elections.
He insisted that the Council’s stance is rooted in concerns over the Chairman’s past actions and personal views, which they believe disqualify him from being an impartial judge in the democratic process.
Specifically, the Council accused Amupitan of authoring a legal document that alleged a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
Sheikh Umar pointed out that this claim has been dismissed by the Federal Government, making Amupitan’s alleged position a form of “divisive propaganda.”
“This is not the first time the Council is taking this position,” Umar said. “In a legal brief he personally sent, he sought to establish the existence of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, a position that is directly at odds with the official stance of the Federal Government, which has categorically stated that no such genocide exists.”
The Shari’ah Council argued that such a bias makes it impossible for the Chairman to oversee a fair contest. Umar further emphasized that “For an umpire in a democratic process, integrity and neutrality are non-negotiable.”
He called on the Professor to resign voluntarily or for the presidency to step in and remove him from office to protect the country’s democratic integrity.
In a swift reaction, a source within the Independent National Electoral Commission dismissed the Council’s demands. The source claimed the commission would not offer a formal response to the allegations, characterizing the SCSN’s statements as a mere attempt to gain public attention.
The Council, however, remains firm. While they clarified that they are an advocacy group rather than a legal entity, they noted that other organizations have already filed lawsuits to challenge Amupitan’s appointment.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Professor Joash Amupitan was sworn in as the substantive INEC Chairman in October 2025, succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu.