By Kalu Obasi Benjamin
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the FCT has strongly rejected calls to fire the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan. The group described the demand by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) as a dangerous attempt to use religion for political games. They warned that attacking public officials based on their faith could cause serious division across the country.
The controversy started after the Shari’ah Council called for Amupitan’s removal and prosecution. They claimed his past legal work, which mentioned the persecution of Christians, makes him biased. However, Northern CAN and the National Christian Alliance for Good Governance (NCAGG) hit back, saying Amupitan is a professional lawyer whose personal faith doesn’t stop him from doing his job fairly.
Northern CAN leaders, Rev. Joseph Hayab and Bishop Mohammed Naga, asked a tough question: Who is really behind this push? They pointed out that many past INEC bosses were Muslims, yet Christians never called for their removal based on religion. They argued that “competence, not faith” should be the only way we judge a leader, especially someone as qualified as Amupitan.
The group also praised President Bola Tinubu for choosing a Christian to lead INEC, calling it a great move for national unity. They reminded everyone that a previous president, Goodluck Jonathan, kept a Muslim INEC chair during his time, proving that religion shouldn’t dictate who runs elections. They urged the public not to let these religious arguments distract from preparing for the 2027 polls.
Northern CAN warned that this might be part of a bigger plan to discourage Christians from being active in politics. They specifically mentioned recent political talk about “Muslim-Muslim tickets” as a sign that religion is being used too much in campaign strategies. The group’s message was simple: Nigeria needs a democracy built on skill and fairness, not on which church or mosque a leader attends.
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