MURIC Demands Sack of INEC Chairman Amupitan, Petitions National Assembly

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has escalated its campaign against the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, by formally taking its petition to the National Assembly of Nigeria.

The group is demanding the immediate removal of the electoral chief, accusing him of actions it believes undermine the confidence of Nigerian Muslims in the electoral body.

This development was made public on Wednesday through a statement issued by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

In the statement, the Islamic rights group renewed its earlier call for the dismissal of the INEC chairman, insisting that its concerns have not received attention from the federal government despite repeated complaints.

According to the organisation, the controversy surrounding Amupitan centres on an 80-page legal brief on alleged Christian genocide which was reportedly used by the United States in its assessment of Nigeria’s religious situation.

MURIC claims the document contributed to international accusations against Nigeria and portrays Muslims in a negative light.

The statement reads:

“Three months after Islamic organizations began their demand for the removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, the latter is still in office.

”The presidency appears uninterested in listening to complaints coming from Islamic organizations (most especially MURIC) about the INEC boss. This is in spite of indisputable evidence of deep involvement of the INEC boss in leveling false allegations and fraudulent charges against Nigerian Muslims before the American audience.

”We are intrigued by the speed at which the presidency responds when terrorists who are less than 1% of the population make their frivolous demands and the lukewarm approach of the same presidency to genuine, evidence-backed and undeniable complaints of peace-loving, dialogue-compliant and law-abiding Islamic organizations.

”How can the presidency impose a man who exhibited extreme hatred for Nigerian Muslims, in words and in deeds, on the Muslim electorate and their candidates as the referee in a game where his word is final? Is the presidency waiting for the Muslims to occupy INEC offices all over the country before it will listen to them?

”Take it or leave it, this issue of Amupitan’s documented anti-Muslim prejudice may become the crux of the matter either at the national or state level of an election dispute in 2027. You will say MURIC said so.”

The group said it decided to approach lawmakers after what it described as silence from the presidency on the matter.

MURIC maintained that the National Assembly has a responsibility to listen to the grievances of citizens and examine allegations raised against the head of the country’s electoral body.

“Since the presidency appears uninterested in listening to the complaints of Muslims against Amupitan, we must take his case to the court of the people’s representatives, the National Assembly (NASS). It is not about his religion. It is about the fanatical, hateful and vicious approach adopted by him towards Nigerian Muslims.

“The NASS has a moral duty to listen to the case of Nigerian Muslims against Amupitan. As law-abiding and peace-loving citizens, we have brought our case to the Red and Green chambers for adjudication. We deserve listening ears as tax payers. We deserve attention as bona fide Nigerians. We reject Amupitan as INEC boss for the ignoble role he played in bringing American troops to Nigeria. He cannot be an impartial referee in the 2027 contest. Amupitan must go!

“For the records and for the umpteenth time, today’s renewal of our demand that Professor Joash Amupitan must be removed as INEC boss will again go into the chronicles of Nigerian history. Fortunately internet does not forget. The number of times we made the demand without getting a single response is now on record.

”Give us a good Christian, a Christian who has no death wish for his Muslim compatriot. Amupitan cannot be a good referee in a contest involving Muslims after inviting America to come and deal with Muslims in the process of ‘protecting Nigerian Christians’.

”There are many good Christians who will do this INEC job without exhibiting any bias towards Muslims. For the records, many Christians have held that position in the past without the Muslims complaining.

”Amupitan must go! That is the battlecry. Whoever thinks we have forgotten this demand is making a big mistake. Our cause is just. We have been stabbed in the back. No retreat, No surrender.”

MURIC also warned that the controversy could have wider implications for the credibility of future elections if the issue is not addressed.

The organisation argued that trust in electoral institutions remains critical as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.