Nigerian Muslims gained’t recognise elections performed by Amupitan, Sharia Council declares
The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria has vowed that Muslims throughout the nation won’t recognise or legitimise any election performed beneath the management of the Chairman of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee, Joash Amupitan.
The SCSN insisted that Amupitan’s continued keep in workplace undermines the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic course of.
The Council renewed its name for Amupitan’s fast elimination, describing his management as a threat to electoral integrity and nationwide cohesion.
President of the Council, Sheikh Bashir Umar, made the declaration on Wednesday through the Council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and Normal Meeting held in Abuja.
Talking on the theme “Nigeria’s Future: Religion, Justice, and Management,” Umar stated the Council’s place was based mostly on what it described because the INEC chairman’s questionable antecedents, notably a authorized temporary he allegedly authored alleging the existence of a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
In keeping with Umar, the Nigerian authorities has repeatedly dismissed such claims, noting that they straight contradict Nigeria’s official place.
“This isn’t the primary time the Council is taking this place. Within the authorized temporary he personally despatched, he sought to ascertain the existence of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, a place that’s in direct battle with the stance of the Federal Authorities, which has categorically acknowledged that no such genocide exists,” he stated.
Umar added that the stance attributed to the INEC chairman amounted to divisive propaganda and raised severe issues about his neutrality as head of the nation’s electoral umpire.
“For an umpire in a democratic course of, integrity and impartiality are non-negotiable. So far as we’re involved, his integrity has been compromised. The honourable factor for him to do is to resign. If he doesn’t, the federal government ought to dismiss or retire him,” the cleric acknowledged.
He clarified that whereas the Council is an advocacy physique and never straight concerned in litigation, it’s conscious that different {groups} have approached courts of competent jurisdiction to problem Amupitan’s appointment and continued keep in workplace.
“The Council should stay resolute on this demand. The Ummah won’t recognise or legitimise any election presided over by a personality with questionable integrity, as democratic credibility mustn’t ever be compromised,” Umar added.
The Council additionally used the discussion board to lift issues over worsening insecurity, {economic} hardship, poor funds implementation, alleged imbalance in federal appointments, and what it described as makes an attempt to undermine Muslims’ constitutional proper to practise Shari’ah in Muslim-majority states.
It additional rejected narratives of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, warning that such claims gas division and pose a severe threat to nationwide unity.
Additionally talking on the occasion, the Chairman of the Home of Representatives Committee on Ecological Funds and member representing Kaura-Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, Aminu Sani Jaji, stated the timing of the Pre-Ramadan lecture was vital given Nigeria’s present safety and socio-political challenges.
Jaji described Ramadan as a interval of deep religious reflection for Muslims and careworn the necessity for steerage from non secular students amid rising insecurity and heightened non secular and political tensions.
He cautioned that unverified claims and divisive narratives, together with allegations of non secular persecution, may additional undermine nationwide cohesion if not responsibly addressed.
Referring to Nigeria’s designation by the US as a rustic of specific concern, Jaji described claims of a “Christian genocide” as deceptive, stressing that Nigeria stays a secular state.
In his remarks, the Madakin Zazzau, Malam Muhammadu Munir Ja’afaru, stated the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria has, since its institution, remained a reputable and brave voice of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah.
He famous that the Council has persistently engaged on points past faith, selling unity, justice, peaceable coexistence, and nationwide growth by principled dialogue and constructive engagement with authorities and society.