The National Chairman Council of Ulama Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has described the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) as a risk of the highest order.

Jingir said Amupitan’s appointment stands rejected by Nigerian Muslims, considering the importance of INEC as an institution.

Jingir made the statement at the end of a 3-day 33rd annual national seminar organised by JIBWIS at Saddeqa event center, Jos.

Amupitan has come under fire following a legal brief he wrote some years back attempting to justify the alleged Christians genocide in Nigeria.

Even though the Tinubu administration has severally denied the allegations, the government is silent on the call for Amupitan’s removal.

According to the cleric, the INEC chairman has publicly accused Muslims of genocide against Christians in the country, and therefore shouldn’t be allowed to hold sensitive positions like INEC.

“Why is it that someone that had abused Sheikh Usman Danfodio and Muslims was appointed INEC chairman, “ Sheik Jingir asked.

Sheikh Jingir wondered why members of the National Assembly kept quiet on the issue, calling on the lawmakers to ensure the right thing is done to appoint a fair chairman for the commission.

The cleric said Muslims are rejecting the idea of having someone that invited foreign attack on Nigeria to be the chairman of an important institution in the country.

He said, “I disagree with the person that went aboard to call for an attack on Nigeria, and the government of Muslim-Muslim, take the risk of appointing him as the head of electoral umpire, it is an extremely a risk of the highest order.” (Daily Trust)

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