The Christian Affiliation of Nigeria within the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory has rejected calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria for the elimination of the Chairman of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee, Joash Amupitan, describing the demand as an try and politicise faith and undermine a key nationwide establishment.
The Shari’ah Council had earlier referred to as for the fast elimination and prosecution of the INEC chairman, citing issues over a authorized transient by which he reportedly acknowledged claims regarding persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Reacting in a press release issued on Thursday and collectively signed by the Chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, and its Secretary-Basic, Bishop Mohammed Naga, the Christian physique questioned the motive behind the demand, asking who was sponsoring the decision and why such pursuits had been being pursued underneath the platform of a non secular organisation.
Northern CAN cautioned that utilizing faith as a foundation for questioning the integrity of public workplace holders was harmful and able to inflaming sectarian tensions.
In line with the assertion, Professor Amupitan, like each Nigerian, has a constitutional proper to freedom of faith, and expressing concern about challenges confronted by one’s religion doesn’t robotically quantity to bias or disqualification from public service.
The affiliation famous that a number of Muslims had beforehand occupied delicate nationwide positions regardless of being publicly related to non secular causes, with out going through comparable scrutiny, and urged Nigerians to give attention to competence, integrity and nationwide curiosity quite than non secular affiliation.
Northern CAN additional expressed concern that the controversy reinforces longstanding complaints of non secular discrimination towards Christians, notably in appointments to strategic nationwide places of work. It recalled that the 2 fast previous INEC chairmen had been Muslims from Northern Nigeria and warned towards narratives suggesting that management of the electoral physique needs to be restricted to adherents of a selected faith.
“Anybody hiding underneath the guise of a non secular council to demand the elimination of the INEC chairman for political or sectarian causes ought to come out brazenly,” the assertion mentioned, including that competence, not religion, ought to stay the benchmark for public workplace.
The Christian physique counseled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing a Christian as INEC chairman, describing the choice as an indication of inclusivity and nationwide unity. It additionally referenced the precedent set by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who retained a northern Muslim as INEC chairman regardless of political stress on the time.
Northern CAN suggested the Shari’ah Council to obviously determine any particular person or group behind the marketing campaign towards the INEC chairman, warning that non secular platforms shouldn’t be used as cowl for political pursuits or to intimidate public officers.
The affiliation additionally urged Professor Amupitan to not be distracted by the controversy, however to stay centered on his constitutional mandate to conduct free, truthful and credible elections.
“He ought to consider doing what is correct for Nigerians and never be drawn into distractions able to undermining public confidence within the electoral course of,” the assertion added.
In the meantime, Northern CAN raised issues over what it described as rising indicators of a coordinated political agenda forward of the 2027 basic election. It cited current feedback attributed to the Minister of Tradition, Tourism and Artistic Financial system, Hannatu Musawa, suggesting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may threat electoral defeat if it abandons a Northern Muslim-Muslim ticket for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
In line with the affiliation, when seen alongside sustained criticism of a Christian INEC chairman, such statements elevate questions on whether or not there’s a broader effort to weaken Christian confidence and participation within the political course of.
Northern CAN warned towards framing Nigeria’s political future strictly alongside non secular strains, stressing that democracy needs to be pushed by competence, fairness and nationwide cohesion quite than sectarian concerns.
The group cautioned that any try and slim political management to a selected religion or area may deepen divisions and threaten the nation’s fragile unity.