A controversial call to action has been issued by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Council has urged Tinubu to reconsider this appointment due to concerns over a 2020 legal brief authored by Prof. Amupitan, which allegedly made divisive and anti-Muslim statements about conflicts in Northern Nigeria and the historical legacy of Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio's jihad.
The SCSN's statement, signed by its Secretary General, Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, expresses deep concern over the recent publication by Sahara Reporters. It claims that Prof. Amupitan's brief made 'provocative, distorted, and bigoted assertions' about the conflicts and the jihad, characterizing them as 'toxic' and 'unbecoming' of someone entrusted with safeguarding Nigeria's democratic process.
The Council argues that the alleged paper wrongly characterized northern violence as 'Christian genocide' and linked current insecurity to the 19th-century jihad led by Sheikh Uthman bn Fodio, which they describe as a 'malicious distortion of history' and a 'deliberate misrepresentation' of a revered reform movement.
They further state that Prof. Amupitan's analysis painted a false picture of religious persecution, ignoring the fact that Muslims have also been major victims of violence. The Council emphasizes that both Muslims and Christians have suffered from extremist attacks, banditry, and communal clashes rooted in neglect, poverty, and injustice.
The SCSN questions how a person with such 'deep-seated prejudice' could have passed through Nigeria's security clearance process to lead a sensitive national institution like INEC. They argue that this suggests either a grave lapse in due diligence or reckless approval that undermines public trust in the electoral system.
The Council calls for a review of the appointment, emphasizing that presiding over Nigeria's electoral process demands the highest standards of neutrality, fairness, and inclusivity. They warn that perceived bias at the top of INEC could erode confidence in upcoming elections.
The SCSN also appeals to Nigerians to avoid being drawn into religious animosity, emphasizing that their common enemies are injustice, corruption, poverty, and insecurity. They remain committed to peace, unity, and the pursuit of truth based on fairness and mutual respect.
