ABUJA — The Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has condemned what it described as attempts by certain individuals and groups to ethnicise the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its Convener, Chief Jacob Edi (Kakaki Bassange), the group described the criticisms trailing the nomination as “unwarranted, divisive, and dangerous to national cohesion.”
Edi noted that Professor Amupitan — a renowned legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria — hails from the Okun ethnic group in Kogi State, one of the minority nationalities in Northern Nigeria. He emphasised that the North comprises 19 states with diverse ethnic and cultural identities, “none superior to another by tribe, tongue, or faith.”
“We are deeply concerned by the spate of commentaries and social media tirades portraying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Amupitan as an act of ethnic bias. Nothing could be farther from the truth,” the statement read.
According to the NNMG, this marks the first time in 65 years—since Nigeria established a statutory electoral commission in 1959—that a northern minority has been appointed to lead it. The group recalled that northern minorities had never questioned previous appointments, even when individuals from the North West and North East held the position for more than 15 years.
Edi urged Nigerians to recognise northern minorities as equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project, not mere demographic fillers, stressing that inclusivity strengthens democracy.
The statement also condemned what it called “an old and dangerous trend” that began during the Obasanjo administration, when appointments of northern minorities were dismissed as “not northern enough.”
“The North is not defined by ethnicity but by geography — broad, inclusive, and inherently multi-ethnic. Those promoting this narrow, toxic narrative are the real enemies of national unity,” the group warned.
Outlining its position, NNMG said:
Reducing leadership choices to ethnic arithmetic undermines both the region and the nation;
Such divisive thinking is outdated and contrary to modern governance ideals; and Competence, integrity, and capacity — not ethnicity — must guide national appointments.
The group described Professor Amupitan’s nomination as “a milestone for equity, meritocracy, and inclusivity,” commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recognising the North’s diversity and ensuring all segments of the federation feel a sense of belonging.
“The time for ethnic arithmetic is over. This is the era of competence, fairness, and national responsibility,” the statement concluded.
“Northern minorities are not just minorities — together, we are the stabilising force of this federation and true believers in Nigeria’s unity and progress.”
