Christian Group Replies Shari’a Council, Says Name For Election Boycott Will Worsen Spiritual Tensions
The Christian Social Motion of Nigeria (CSMN) has cautioned towards politicising the management of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), warning that threats of an election boycott alongside non secular traces might heighten tensions and erode public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
The group was reacting to feedback attributed to the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), which reportedly known as for the resignation of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, and warned that Muslims would neither recognise nor legitimise elections performed beneath his management.
In a press release signed by its Governing Council Chairman, Elder Sunday Oibe, and Chief Govt Officer, Bosun Emmanuel, the CSMN stated the appointment of the INEC chairman stays the constitutional prerogative of the President together with the Nationwide Meeting.
The group urged non secular our bodies to train warning in public statements able to worsening Nigeria’s already fragile political and safety local weather.
It argued that appointments into nationwide establishments must be guided strictly by constitutional provisions and due course of, relatively than non secular concerns or strain.
Drawing historic parallels, the CSMN famous that former President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian, appointed Prof. Attahiru Jega, a Muslim, as INEC chairman with out non secular backlash. Equally, former President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim, appointed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, additionally a Muslim, with out threats of election boycott.
In keeping with the group, the present objections to Amupitan’s appointment beneath President Bola Tinubu elevate questions on whether or not the resistance is rooted extra in identification than benefit.
The CSMN additional contended that the controversy surrounding Amupitan stemmed from a authorized opinion he expressed as a non-public authorized practitioner relating to experiences of killings of Christians in components of Nigeria.
It maintained that such an opinion shouldn’t be weaponised to query his neutrality as head of the electoral physique.
“The matter for which Prof. Amupitan is being labelled a threat to democracy is relatively trivial. That citizen gave a authorized opinion in his capability as a authorized practitioner,” the assertion stated.
The group additionally cited examples of heads of federal establishments who had publicly expressed non secular positions whereas in workplace with out calls for his or her elimination.
Past the rapid controversy, the CSMN known as for a broader nationwide dialog on constitutional reform, significantly in regards to the standing of Shari’ah inside Nigeria’s authorized framework.
It distinguished between Shari’ah private regulation, which it stated is constitutionally recognised, and Shari’ah legal regulation, which it argued lacks clear constitutional backing and has contributed to tensions in components of the nation.
Quoting authorized authorities, together with Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Justice Mohammed Bello and Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN), the group maintained that elements of Shari’ah legal regulation are inconsistent with provisions of the 1999 Structure, particularly relating to freedom of faith.
The CSMN urged non secular leaders to channel their affect towards constructive engagement and constitutional reform, relatively than pursuing actions able to deepening sectarian divisions.
“Makes an attempt to deepen non secular imbalance when the nation must be looking for therapeutic and equity will solely drag it deeper into mutual suspicion and sectarian violence,” the assertion added.
Friday Olokor
Times Nigeria