Northern Minorities Caution Against Ethnic Politics Over INEC Chair Appointment
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 such actions as divisive and counterproductive to national unity.
Professor Amupitan, a respected legal scholar from Kogi State and an Okun man, becomes the first northern minority to head the electoral body in 65 years, a development NNMG says should be celebrated as a sign of inclusivity rather than used to fuel ethnic tension.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Chief Jacob Edi, the group expressed concern over what it described as “harmful social media narratives” attempting to undermine the appointment along ethnic lines. It emphasised that the North, made up of 19 states with rich diversity, must not be reduced to narrow ethnic politics.
NNMG commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recognising the importance of northern diversity in national appointments, noting that competence, integrity, and inclusivity should remain the guiding principles of governance.
“The northern minorities are not mere demographic fillers but a cornerstone of Nigeria’s stability and unity,” Chief Edi said, urging Nigerians to rise above ethnic arithmetic and focus on building strong, fair, and functional institutions for all.
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