The Arewa Youths Alliance for Religious Harmony has rejected growing calls for the removal or resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan.
Speaking at a press briefing on Saturday at the Arewa House in Kaduna, the group described the demands as “ill-advised” and driven by individuals who are “afraid of free, fair and credible elections.”
Reading the statement, the chairman of the alliance, Elder Joseph Chori, warned that the North is currently grappling with serious security and economic challenges, stressing that divisive campaigns could further deepen ethnic or religious tensions.
“It is disheartening to witness elements within our fold spearheading a campaign that is needlessly divisive. We must not allow personal grievances to be clothed in ethnic or religious sentiments,” Chori said.
He noted that instead of targeting Amupitan over an academic opinion he expressed years ago as a university lecturer, Nigerians should focus on strengthening institutions that guarantee electoral integrity.
The group applauded the INEC chairman and his team for what it described as the “credible and transparent” conduct of the recently concluded Anambra governorship election. It said the victory of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) — rather than the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) — was evidence that votes were allowed to count.
According to Chori, the outcome of the election has boosted the confidence of opposition parties and helped allay fears that Nigeria was drifting into a one-party state.
