The Christian Media Forum (CMF) has criticized the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria for calling for the removal of INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, based on his religious affiliation. The forum described the demand as baseless, divisive, and inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitutional principles of fairness, inclusion, and religious freedom.

In a statement signed by CMF’s National President, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, and National Secretary, Andrew Ibrahim Mshelia, the forum stressed that public office holders should be evaluated on competence, integrity, and performance rather than religion or ethnicity. It warned that such statements risk eroding public confidence in democratic institutions and inflaming religious tensions.

The call for the INEC Chairman’s removal reportedly came from Sheikh Bashir Umar during the Supreme Council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly in Abuja. The forum described the timing and context of the statement as insensitive, noting that Nigeria is already facing serious challenges such as insecurity, economic hardship, and social instability, which demand unity rather than divisive rhetoric.

CMF urged the Shariah Council to focus on promoting peace, national cohesion, and socio-economic solutions instead of making statements that could deepen divisions. The forum reaffirmed confidence in INEC’s ability to conduct free and credible elections and called on all religious and civic leaders to exercise restraint, respect national unity, and prioritize the country’s democratic stability.