By HUSSAINA YAKUBU

The Arewa Youths Alliance for Religious Harmony on Saturday rejected calls for the sack or resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan.

According to them, those behind the campaign are people “afraid of free, fair and credible elections.”

The group made its position known during a press briefing at the Arewa House, Kaduna, where it described the demands for Amupitan’s removal as “ill-advised” and an attempt to politicise an academic opinion expressed years ago during his time as a university lecturer.

Reading the statement, Chairman of the group, Elder Joseph Chori, said the North was currently facing serious challenges that required unity and cautioned against actions capable of deepening ethnic or religious divisions.

“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,” he said.

The group argued that rather than targeting Amupitan, Nigerians should support institutions that uphold electoral integrity.

It commended the INEC chairman and his team for the “credible and transparent” conduct of the recently concluded Anambra governorship election.

According to the alliance, the Anambra poll, which produced the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) rather than the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), proved that elections can be competitive and reflective of the people’s will.

“The outcome has boosted the morale of opposition parties and dispelled fears that Nigeria was drifting into a one party system,” Chori said.

The group stated that removing Amupitan after overseeing an election widely regarded as free and fair would be “counter-productive” and contrary to the principles of justice.

It urged Northern leaders and Nigerians to rally behind INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections to ensure the commission remains independent and undistracted.

Also speaking, Co-Chairman, Abbas Mohammed Aminu, said Northern youths would continue to support the INEC chairman as he works to deliver credible polls in 2027.

He added that the “few voices” calling for Amupitan’s sack do not represent the majority of the northern population.

“The majority of our people stand with him. The calls for his removal are coming from those afraid of free, fair and credible elections,” he said. (NAN)