A civic advocacy group, Citizens Watch for Good Governance (CWGG), has called for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), over what it described as a “controversial and divisive” legal brief he authored in 2020.
In a statement signed by its National President, Collins Idowu, the group said the resurfaced document contained “reckless and inflammatory” remarks that cast doubt on Professor Amupitan’s ability to oversee Nigeria’s elections impartially.
The brief, reportedly written during the administration of the Late President Muhammadu Buhari, allegedly described insecurity in Nigeria as a “genocide” against Christians and minority groups and linked the country’s violence to the 19th-century jihad of Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio, which the author portrayed as an “Islamisation agenda”.
“These remarks”, the statement noted, “are evidence of religious bias, poor judgment, and unsuitability to lead a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation’s electoral body”.
CWGG argued that the tone and content of the 2020 publication showed a “sectarian mindset” inconsistent with the neutrality required of an INEC chairman. It further claimed that the essay appeared politically motivated, suggesting it was “a calculated attempt to delegitimise” the then Buhari administration.
“The appointment of Professor Amupitan has already eroded public confidence in INEC’s neutrality,” the group said. “His continued stay in office could jeopardise the credibility of future elections because electoral integrity depends not only on independence in law but also on moral legitimacy and public trust”.
The organisation urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to urgently review the appointment, warning that keeping Professor Amupitan in office could “plant a permanent seed of suspicion” over future election results.
CWGG concluded by calling on the INEC Chairman to “act honourably” and resign “to preserve national peace, protect democratic integrity, and restore public confidence in INEC”.
“Professor Amupitan must resign immediately,” the statement insisted. “Nigeria deserves an electoral umpire that unites, not divides”.
