From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Arewa Youth Alliance for Religious Harmony has voiced its strong support for the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Omupitan, and has rejected the calls for his resignation or dismissal.
In a statement released on Saturday, the group described the demands for Omupitan’s removal as “ill-advised” and an attempt to politicize an academic opinion he expressed years ago during his tenure as a university lecturer.
Elder Joseph Fain Chori, the chairman of the group, emphasized that the North is currently facing significant challenges that require unity and warned against actions that could exacerbate ethnic or religious divisions.
“We must not allow personal grievances to be disguised as ethnic or religious sentiments,” Chori stated.
The group commended Omupitan and his team for their “credible and transparent” management of the recent Anambra governorship election, which resulted in the election of the candidate from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the alliance, the Anambra election demonstrated that elections can be competitive and genuinely reflect the will of the people, and that removing Omupitan would be “counterproductive” and contrary to the principles of justice.
Co-Chairman Comrade Abbas Mohammed Aminu reiterated that northern youths would continue to support Omupitan as he aims to deliver credible polls in the 2027 elections. He pointed out that the “few voices” calling for his dismissal do not represent the views of the majority of the northern population.
“The majority of our people stand with him. The calls for his removal are coming from those who fear free, fair, and credible elections,” Aminu remarked.
