Prosper Okoye
The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called for the immediate removal of Professor Joash Amupitan as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that Muslims may boycott the 2027 elections if he remains in office.
The council alleges that Amupitan, appointed by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025, authored a 2020 legal brief portraying Muslims negatively and promoting a narrative of “Christian genocide,” which it says undermines his impartiality.
Speaking at the SCSN’s annual pre-Ramadan assembly in Abuja on 28 January 2026, President Sheikh Abdur-Rasheed Hadiyyatullah described the brief as “toxic” and called for Amupitan’s removal and prosecution for promoting hate speech.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelINEC has not responded officially. An INEC staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such matters fall under the Presidency’s authority.
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The controversy has drawn reactions from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other stakeholders, highlighting the sensitive intersection of religion and electoral politics ahead of Nigeria’s general elections.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
