The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has renewed its demand for the immediate removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, warning that his continued stay in office poses a serious threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The Council declared that Muslims across the country would neither recognise nor legitimise any election conducted under the leadership of an INEC chairman whose integrity, it said, is under a cloud. The position marks a sharp escalation in the council’s criticism of the nation’s electoral umpire.
The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja by the President of the Council, Sheikh Bashir Umar, during the SCSN’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly. The event drew Islamic scholars and delegates from across the federation.
Speaking on the theme, “Nigeria’s Future: Faith, Justice, and Leadership,” Sheikh Umar said the council’s stance was driven by concerns over what it described as the questionable antecedents of the INEC chairman, which it believes undermine public trust in the electoral system.
Central to the controversy is a legal brief reportedly authored by Professor Amupitan, which alleged the existence of a Christian genocide in Nigeria. The SCSN described the document as divisive and incompatible with the neutrality required of the head of the country’s electoral body.
Sheikh Umar noted that the Federal Government has repeatedly dismissed claims of genocide in Nigeria, arguing that the continued association of the INEC chairman with such allegations raises doubts about his impartiality in managing elections in a religiously diverse nation.
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According to the council, credibility and public confidence are essential for free and fair elections, and any perception of bias at the top of INEC could erode trust in future polls, including the next general elections.
The SCSN insisted that the honourable path would be for Professor Amupitan to step aside voluntarily, adding that failure to do so should prompt the Federal Government to take decisive action in the interest of national unity and democratic stability.
While the council said it is not directly involved in legal action, it acknowledged that some civil society groups have already approached the courts to challenge the appointment and continued stay of the INEC chairman.
As of the time of reporting, INEC had not issued an official response to the renewed call, as the controversy continues to generate debate over leadership, neutrality, and confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Meanwhile, several notable voices and citizens on social media circuits have dismissed the call as unfounded politically motivated position, of attention seeking fanatical persons, who do not represent the true feelings of an average Nigerian Muslim.
