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By Oscar Okhifo
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the call by the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, warning against the use of religion to undermine democratic institutions.
The Shariah Council had earlier this week called for the immediate removal and prosecution of the INEC chairman, alleging compromised integrity over a legal brief in which Amupitan allegedly acknowledged claims of persecution and genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Reacting in a press statement jointly signed on Thursday by the Chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, and the Secretary General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, the association questioned the motive behind the demand, asking who was sponsoring the call and why such interests were “hiding under the platform of a religious body.”
Describing the call as a dangerous attempt to undermine a critical national institution, Hayab said Amupitan has a constitutional right to freedom of religion, stressing that expressing concern over challenges faced by one’s faith does not amount to bias or disqualification from public office.
He noted that several Muslims who had previously served in key government positions had well-known religious antecedents but, were never subjected to similar scrutiny, urging national actors to prioritise competence, integrity and national interest above sectarian sentiments.
The Northern CAN chairman warned that the controversy reinforces long-standing concerns about religious discrimination against Christians in Nigeria, particularly in appointments to sensitive national offices.
He recalled that the two immediate past INEC chairmen were Muslims from Northern Nigeria, cautioning against narratives that suggest that only adherents of a particular religion are qualified to head the electoral body.
“Anyone hiding under the guise of the Shariah Council to demand the removal of the INEC chairman over political or sectarian interests should come out boldly. Otherwise, the ploy has died naturally,” Hayab said.
The statement further queried whether the demand implied that no other religion, aside Islam, should produce an INEC chairman, adding that the critical issue Nigerians should focus on is the competence of Professor Amupitan, not his faith.
Northern CAN commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as a deliberate effort to promote national unity by appointing a Christian as INEC chairman despite being a Muslim himself.
The association said the move reflected statesmanship and inclusivity, likening it to the precedent under former President Goodluck Jonathan, who retained a northern Muslim as INEC chairman against widespread pressure at the time.
The Christian body advised the Shariah Council to openly identify any individual or group behind the campaign against the INEC chairman, insisting that religious platforms must not be used as “cheap cover” to pursue political interests or intimidate public officials.
While urging Amupitan not to be distracted by the controversy, Northern CAN called on him to remain focused on his constitutional mandate of conducting free, fair and credible elections.
“He should concentrate on doing the right thing for Nigerians and not behave like others who openly manipulated elections in the past and now seek relevance through religious blackmail,” the statement added.
The body also expressed concern over what it described as emerging indications of a coordinated political agenda ahead of the 2027 and pointed to recent remarks by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could face electoral defeat if it abandons a Northern Muslim–Muslim ticket in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
According to the Christian body, such comments, when considered alongside sustained attacks on a Christian INEC chairman, raise serious questions about whether there is a deliberate attempt to weaken Christian participation and erode confidence in the nation’s political and electoral process.
The Christian body warned that framing national political survival strictly along religious lines, rather than competence, equity and national cohesion, could deepen divisions and threaten the country’s fragile unity.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot be held hostage to religious calculations,” the statement said, adding that any attempt to restrict political leadership to one faith or region would undermine democratic values and national stability.