INEC Chair: NNMG Condemns Attempts To Ethnicise Amupitan’s Appointment

The Northern Nigeria Minorities Group, NNMG, has expressed strong concern over attempts to ethnicise the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Professor Amupitan, an Okun man from Kogi State and a distinguished legal scholar, is the first northern minority leader to hold this position in 65 years.

In a statement in Abuja, NNMG emphasises that the North, composed of 19 diverse states, should not be reduced to ethnic divisions or rivalries.

The group condemns recent social media attacks and divisive narratives, calling them harmful to national unity and progress.

They remind Nigerians that previous northern minority appointments have gone unquestioned, and this trend of delegitimising their contributions recalls an unfortunate pattern from past administrations.

Highlighting the need for competence, integrity, and inclusivity in governance, NNMG praises President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recognising northern diversity and urges all Nigerians to reject ethnic and sectional polarisation.

They stress that northern minorities are not mere demographic fillers but essential to Nigeria’s stability and unity.

Chief Jacob Edi, Kakaki Bassange and Convener of NNMG, called for a new era prioritising fairness and competence over ethnic arithmetic to build institutions that work for all Nigerians.

“The organisation stands firm that northern minorities are a cornerstone of national unity and deserve equal recognition and respect in the federation,” he stated

Oduyemi Odumade