SCSN Demands INEC Chairman Removal for Integrity, Neutrality

Nigeria: Electoral Body Faces Integrity Demands Amid Historical Brief Row

Nigeria’s Supreme Council for Shari’ah (SCSN) has demanded the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, over a 2020 legal brief that allegedly misrepresented religious violence in the country. The Council insists its position is based on institutional integrity and national unity, not the chairman’s religious background.

The SCSN’s call, made during its January 28, 2026, conference, centres on a legal document Prof. Amupitan reportedly authored. The brief, sent to international bodies, allegedly claimed a “genocide” against Nigerian Christians and linked northern insecurity to 19th-century jihad. The Council describes the document as “toxic” and “historically inaccurate,” arguing such claims damage Nigeria’s reputation and compromise the chairman’s required neutrality.

“The Council states unequivocally that its position is not motivated by religion… but by grave concerns relating to national cohesion, institutional integrity and constitutionalism,” a SCSN statement read. It noted that of INEC’s 13 past chairmen, only two were Muslim, and Muslims historically never opposed appointments on religious grounds, framing the current issue as exceptional due to Amupitan’s documented statements.

Supporting the Council, former Kano Assembly aspirant Mukhtar Adnan stated the chairman “cannot be trusted,” calling the alleged brief evidence of bias. Youth activist Nura Usman warned that failing to act could erode public trust in elections and deepen ethnic-religious divisions. Both emphasised that the demand is about neutrality, not religious targeting.

The controversy has drawn criticism from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which cautioned against politicising religion. However, the SCSN and its allies argue that a leader who has allegedly propagated a one-sided persecution narrative cannot fairly oversee a pluralistic society. They cite reported government efforts to counter the brief’s claims internationally and the associated financial and reputational costs as further grounds for accountability.

Prof. Amupitan has not publicly denied authoring the brief or issued a retraction. The SCSN and supporters urge President Bola Tinubu to dismiss him, appointing a successor “without credibility issues” to safeguard INEC’s independence. The Council concluded by reaffirming its support for leadership based on merit, not faith.

The standoff highlights the intense pressures on Nigeria’s electoral umpire amid deep-seated societal divides. With general elections approaching, the crisis over perceived impartiality threatens to fuel broader political and religious tensions, making the INEC chairmanship a focal point of national stability.