..Faults Demands INEC Chair Resignation
Written by Tunde Oso
His Royal Highness Dr. Israel Agimor Eshanekpe, also known as Akpodoro, the head of the Association of Urhobo Mayoral Family Crown (AUMFC), has warned Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and former Niger Delta militant leader Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari about the reported arrival of American troops in Nigeria as part of bilateral efforts to combat terrorism.
In a statement released by the Mayoral Palace in Ughelli, Delta State, on Thursday, Akpodoro stated that the U.S. forces’ deployment was consistent with diplomatic agreements between Nigeria and the United States intended to bolster the nation’s counterterrorism efforts.
He recalled earlier remarks on U.S. military engagement in Nigeria that were ascribed to both Sheikh Gumi and Dokubo-Asari, pointing out that they had sparked debate over national security.
He said that Sheikh Gumi had opposed U.S. military engagement after an airstrike on terrorist hideouts in Sokoto, claiming that such involvement could increase insecurity, while Dokubo-Asari had previously been reported to have cautioned against the deployment of American soldiers in Nigeria.
Akpodoro called the remarks “unhelpful” and advised public leaders to use caution while discussing delicate security issues.
Remarks that seem to impede international collaboration against terrorism run the risk of being misunderstood and undermining domestic efforts to bring about peace, he said. Nigerians are entitled to safety, stability, and advancement.
He also urged security services to take national security seriously and make sure that public remarks don’t exacerbate tensions or give criminal elements more confidence.
The leader of Urhobo also asked the Federal Government to continue working with foreign partners to combat instability, emphasizing that protecting people and property is still a fundamental duty of the state.
INEC Chairman Should Be Fired Due to Faults
Akpodoro also denounced recent remarks attributed to Sheikh Bashir Umar, President of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), who allegedly protested to the selection of Christian Professor Joash Amupitan as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to reports, the comments were made in Abuja at the Council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture and General Assembly.
Akpodoro described the remarks as polarizing and emphasized that public offices should not be seen through a religious prism because Nigeria is a multiethnic and multireligious nation.
He urged the Federal Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser to alert people and organizations whose words could jeopardize national unity and cautioned against making statements that could incite religious strife.
Akpodoro insisted that Nigeria is still a secular nation and that all people, regardless of their religious affiliation, are constitutionally eligible to run for public office.
In closing, he warned against hyperbole that would overheat the political system and stated that Nigerians would not tolerate any attempt to erode democracy or national unity.
