The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to rescind the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The demand follows revelations that Amupitan authored a 2020 legal brief describing violence in parts of Nigeria as “genocide against Christians and minority groups.”
The document, titled “Legal Brief: Genocide in Nigeria – The Implications for the International Community,” was released by the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON) and officially signed by Amupitan’s law firm.
In a statement issued on Friday, the SCSN expressed “deep disappointment and grave concern” over the content of the brief, describing it as “provocative, distorted, and bigoted.”
The council argued that the claims made in the document are divisive and undermine Nigeria’s unity, peace, and stability.
“If indeed Prof. Amupitan authored the document, his submissions are unbecoming of a person of learning and dangerously inimical to the unity of our country,” the statement read.
The SCSN rejected the characterisation of the Northern crisis as “Christian genocide,” arguing that the violence in Northern and North-Central Nigeria is multifaceted, affecting both Muslims and Christians.
The council cited humanitarian data indicating that Muslims have suffered more casualties in these conflicts, particularly in regions like Borno, Zamfara, and Katsina, where the majority of victims are Muslim.
It described the conflicts as rooted in systemic issues such as poverty, neglect, and social injustice, rather than religious targeting.
The council also criticised attempts to link the insecurity in the North to the 19th-century jihad of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio, calling such references a “malicious distortion of history.” It defended the jihad as a movement of moral and social reform, not hatred or extermination.
Raising concerns about Amupitan’s neutrality, the SCSN questioned his ability to oversee national elections fairly, given the alleged bias reflected in his past writings.
“Presiding over Nigeria’s electoral system requires the highest standards of neutrality, fairness, and inclusivity. Prof. Amupitan’s record raises serious doubts about his ability to ensure free and fair elections,” the council stated.
The SCSN urged President Tinubu to review and reverse Amupitan’s appointment to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
The council also called on Nigerians to reject divisive narratives and focus on common challenges such as injustice, corruption, and insecurity, while reiterating its commitment to promoting peace and unity across religious divides.