MPAC calls for INEC chairman’s resignation

Muslim group says controversy over past legal brief has eroded public trust in electoral body

By Abdullahi Yusuf

A Muslim civil society group has called for the resignation of the chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, saying lingering controversy over his past public positions has undermined confidence in the country’s electoral umpire.

The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) made the call on Monday following renewed public scrutiny of a legal brief written in 2020 by INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, which addressed Nigeria’s security challenges in religious terms and advocated international intervention.

In a statement signed by its executive chairman, Disu Kamor, MPAC said the issue was not the competence of the INEC chairman but a loss of public confidence that could weaken the credibility of elections.

“Confidence, once fractured, cannot be legislated back into existence,” the group said, describing trust as central to democratic stability.

MPAC said INEC’s role as the body responsible for conducting elections requires not only technical capacity but visible neutrality and a public record capable of commanding broad national trust across religious, ethnic and political lines.

The group argued that Amupitan’s continued stay in office, amid widespread debate over his past views, risked deepening existing tensions in a country already grappling with political polarization and religious suspicion.

“In a fragile democracy, the presence of a controversial figure at the helm of the electoral commission is not merely unfortunate, it is destabilising,” the statement said.

MPAC called on the INEC chairman to step aside in the interest of national unity, democratic credibility and institutional integrity, stressing that the demand should not be seen as a judgment on his personal intentions or professional ability.

Should he decline to resign, the group urged the federal government to intervene and appoint a replacement, saying the move would reflect a duty to protect public trust rather than a response to political pressure.

Nigeria has a history of contentious elections, with INEC often at the centre of public debate over transparency and fairness. Analysts say confidence in the electoral commission remains critical ahead of future national polls.

INEC has not publicly responded to MPAC’s statement as of the time of filing this report.

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