The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, MMWG, has called for the removal of Prof. Joash Amupitan as the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC over the leaked document that revealed his alleged role in the declaration of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concerns, CPC by President Donald Trump of the United States of America.
In a statement issued on Friday after the General Assembly of the group and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Yusuf Agbabiaka, it described the aggression of United States of America as a wrong step taken by the American Government after reading the alleged report written in 2022 by Amupitan when he was at the University of Jos.
According to MMWG, the legal brief of Amupitan titled: “Genocide in Nigeria – The Implication for International Community” contained falsehood, fallacies, and lies that portrayed Nigerian Government in bad-light with the aim of tarnishing the good image of the country.
The group noted that “the ill-motivated legal brief was part of the basis upon which President Trump was threatening the sovereignty of Nigeria thereby promoting tension, fear and insecurity of our beloved citizens within Nigeria and abroad.”
While condemning Amupitan over what called baseless, reckless and irresponsible report, the group maintained that “the author of such damaging legal brief is not qualified nor competent to come and seat in any position of authority in this country as he lacks pedigree to hold such an office.”
MMWG explained that insecurity ravaging the country since 2009 led to decimation Boko Haram by the Muhammadu Buhari’s government between 2015 and 2020 while the emergence of insurgency, kidnapping and abduction for ransome were being tackled by the former and present administration of President Bola Tinubu with budget for security annually remaining the highest for the past five years.
On Muslims and Christians relationship, the group said there was cordiality and unity with inter-religious dialogues being organized by both of them to deepen good relationship from time to time.
MMWG informed that Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, with its office situated in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, comprising of both Muslims and Christians leaders whose activities were being coordinated by the federal government and was yielding fruitful results until false reports of some unpatriotic citizens came with the purpose of dismantling the existing good relationship.
It said contrary to the falsehood contained in the alleged report of Amupitan to the United States, Muslims had the highest number of victims in terms of death, those injured in about 15 states of the North with property destroyed as a result of insecurity in the country.
The group wondered why an academic of Amupitan’s calibre could write “such a false report” that Christians were being targeted, pointing out that “such a person that lied against the federal government lacks the temerity to hold public office.”
“If the information about his role on the false Christians genocide was not known before his screening by the Senate, the fact that the false report has leaked, was sufficient to sack him from office and replace him with an amiable and responsible Christian who would not fan embers of religious hatred and wickedness like Amupitan,” it added.
MMWG, therefore, called on the National Assembly to set necessary machinery in motion to investigate the 80-page report of Amupitan and advise the President on the suitability or otherwise of the INEC chairman who has been exposed by his negative report against his fatherland.
The group concluded that “Muslims in Nigeria who constitute more 70% of the nation’s population no longer have confidence in Prof. Amupitan, and should therefore be removed while another Christian who is religious tolerant, upright and responsible should be appointed without further delay.”
