A major Islamic group in Nigeria has demanded the immediate removal and court prosecution of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Now many ordinary Nigerians are adding their voices saying they cannot trust any future election run under his leadership.
Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, the respected scholar and president of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria, read out the council’s strong resolutions during their annual pre-Ramadan lecture and general assembly held in Abuja. The event was broadcast on Wisal TV and a short video of him speaking at the podium with several microphones quickly spread across social media.
In point five of the council decisions Dr. Umar said the council demands the immediate removal and prosecution of the INEC chairman. In points six and seven the council declared that no election conducted under a cloud of compromised integrity can be recognized as credible.
Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar made it very clear that the demand is not because the chairman is a Christian. He pointed instead to serious claims of dishonesty, open bias, and deep hostility toward Muslims. The council believes these problems make it impossible for him to organize free and fair polls especially as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The call has grown much louder in recent days after old tweets from 2023 linked to Professor Amupitan resurfaced on April 10 and 11 2026. The tweets showed clear support for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress during the last elections. In one post the account replied “Victory is sure” to a celebratory message from APC national youth leader Dayo Israel. Other tweets used contact details such as a Yahoo email and phone number that match the professor’s public records from his University of Jos CV.
After the tweets went viral the original account handle was changed and later locked with some calling it a parody. Professor Amupitan has strongly denied owning or posting from any X account. He says the messages are fabrications created by unknown people to damage his name.
Despite the denial many Nigerians across the country are now openly calling for his resignation. They argue that with such visible past support for one political side it is hard to believe he can remain neutral. People say they cannot trust any election conducted under his watch and that the only way to restore public confidence is for him to step down before 2027.The Supreme Council for Shari’ah says the new revelations only prove the concerns they raised months ago. They want the government to act quickly to protect the fairness of Nigeria’s democracy.
