'Why we say Nigerian Muslims no go accept election results under Amupitan as Inec chairman' - Supreme Council for Shari'ah in Nigeria

Di Supreme Council for Shari'ah in Nigeria (SCSN) don call for di removal of di chairman of di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), Professor Joash Amupitan, ahead of di 2027 general elections as dem describe am as potential threat to di stability of di Nigerian govment.

For interview wit di BBC, di president of SCSN, Sheikh Bashir Aliyu Umar, say Nigerian Muslims no go accept any election results under di leadership of Amupitan as Inec chairman.

Sheikh Umar say dem dey take dis step becos of Amupitan previous actions, especially wen e bin write legal brief say Christian genocide dey for Nigeria.

"We stand by wetin we tok and di Inece chairman neva come out to say we bin lie, e stand by wetin e believe, e no see am as need to come out and tok about am," Sheikh Umar explain.

Sheikh Umar say di Inec chairman take on religion dey dangerous to di electoral body.

"We believe say anyone wey hold dis position gatz be pesin wey don dey investigated by di govment and no go dey biased.

"Di right tin to do na for am to resign, if not, make di govment remove am becos di electoral process under am na somtin wey pipo no go believe in."

For October 2025, di National Council of State, bin approve di appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as di new Chairman of di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

President Bola Tinubu bin present Amupitan name to di Nigerian Senate for screening, and dem confam am on 16 October 2025.

Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria reject call for Inec chairman removal

Meanwhile, di Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) don react to di call wey di Supreme Council for Shari'ah in Nigeria make, wey want authorities to remove di chairman of di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), Professor Joash Amupitan, sake of alleged genocide comments.

For statement wey di national secretary, Bishop David Bakare, sign, di PFN say di demand wey di Supreme Council of Shari'ah make dey unjustified.

Dem insist say Professor Amupitan, get di constitutional right like evri Nigerian to express views on mata wey concern di nation even though im dey for public office.

PFN condemn di suggestion say make dem remove Professor Amupitan from office. Dem warn against attempts to punish public officials wey dey express personal opinions wey no dey related to dia office.

"We gatz resist di temptation of profiling or judging pipo based on dia religious beliefs or positions. Prof Amupitan get di right to tok im mind, and dis no suppose cost am im job," di statement add.

PFN dey beg all stakeholders to hold-on, understand, and respect di national issues especially wen e concern sensitive issues. Dem add say unity and peace dey important.

Who be Professor Joash Amupitan

Joash Amupitan na Professor of Law for di University of Jos and e come from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu local govment area for Kogi State.

E specialise for Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law.

E become Senior Advocate of Nigeria for September 2014.

Dem born am for April 25, 1967.

Afta e complete im primary and secondary education, e attend Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and di University of Jos from 1984 to 1987.

Dem call am to di bar for 1988. E earn im LLM for Unijos 1993 and a PhD for 2007.

E do im National Youth Service for Bauchi State Publishing Corporation for Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.

Bifor im appointment as Inec chairman, e bin dey serve as di Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) for di University of Jos, position wey e hold togeda wit anoda one wey be di Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of di Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University for Osun State.

Among di academic positions e don hold for Unijos na:

Chairman of di Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014)

Dean of di Faculty of Law (2008-2014)

Head of Public Law (2006-2008)

Outside of di academics, Amupitan don serve on di board of several organisations wey include, board member of Integrated Dairies Limited, di Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, di Council of Legal Education, Riss Oil Limited, among odas.

Amupitan also be author - e don author many books on law like Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013) plus Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

E dey married wit four children.