NNMG warns against ethnic politics in appointment of new INEC chairman

The Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has cautioned against attempts to ethnicise the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the trend as divisive and retrogressive.

In a statement signed by its Convener, Chief Jacob Edi (Kakaki Bassange), the group expressed dismay over what it called “unfounded criticisms and ethnic-driven commentaries” circulating across social media and in some political circles since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Professor Amupitan.

The NNMG emphasized that Professor Amupitan, an Okun man from Kogi State, hails from one of the northern minority ethnic groups, and his nomination marks the first time in 65 years—since the establishment of Nigeria’s statutory electoral body in 1959—that a northern minority has been chosen to lead the commission.

The group lamented that, despite this milestone, certain individuals have sought to delegitimise the appointment by portraying it as an act of ethnic bias. It recalled similar instances in past administrations, where appointments from northern minority communities were dismissed as “not northern enough.”

“It is time for Nigerians to recognize that the North is not defined by ethnicity but by its diversity and inclusivity,” the statement read. “Those promoting this malicious rhetoric are, in truth, enemies of national unity and progress.”

The NNMG outlined four key points:

1. The perception that northern minorities are merely population fillers is outdated and divisive.
2. Nigeria’s governance must now be guided by competence, integrity, and capacity, not ethnic sentiment.
3. The appointment of Professor Amupitan represents a bold step toward inclusivity and meritocracy.
4. National discourse should shift from ethnic arithmetic to fairness and good governance.

The group commended President Tinubu for recognising the diversity within the North and for giving all constituent groups a sense of belonging through his appointments.

Finally, the NNMG urged political leaders, commentators, and citizens to avoid polarising the nation along ethnic lines, stressing that northern minorities are a stabilising force in Nigeria’s unity and progress.

“We are not just minorities,” the statement concluded. “We are the real majority that believes in the unity, fairness, and future of Nigeria.”