MURIC Declares Joash Amupitan Persona Non Grata In Nigeria

[Mudhab]

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the removal of Joash Amupitan as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The group strongly criticized him and declared him persona non grata, insisting that he should be removed from office due to allegations linked to a legal document he reportedly authored.

According to MURIC, the issue is related to an 80-page legal brief allegedly written by Amupitan, which they claim was used by the United States to accuse Nigeria of Christian genocide. The organization expressed disappointment with the Federal Government for remaining silent despite repeated calls from Islamic groups demanding his removal.

In a statement released on Sunday, MURIC said Nigerian Muslims are worried about the continued stay of Amupitan in office. The group warned that even the planned PVC revalidation exercise by INEC could negatively affect Muslim voters, claiming it might lead to voter disenfranchisement and weaken confidence in the electoral system.

MURIC also described the INEC chairman as a threat to Nigeria's electoral system and religious harmony. The organization accused him of promoting a narrative that could create division between Muslims and Christians, and argued that someone with such allegations should not remain in charge of a sensitive national institution like INEC.

The group further stated that Amupitan should have resigned voluntarily if he had integrity, especially since he has not publicly denied the allegations. MURIC compared the situation with leaders in other countries, such as Boris Johnson and Tulip Siddiq, who resigned from public office after facing scandals and public pressure.

In conclusion, MURIC insisted that Nigeria cannot move forward with leaders who refuse to step down during controversies. The organization called on the Federal Government to replace Amupitan with a more tolerant leader and emphasized that they will continue to demand his removal to protect electoral fairness and religious harmony in the country.

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