The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, maintains a personal account on X (formerly Twitter), describing the allegation as false and deliberately misleading.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, the Commission said “the attention of the Office of the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been drawn to a malicious and coordinated campaign of calumny circulating on social media.”
It noted that “the false claim alleges that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has, in the past, endorsed a partisan post on the platform X (formerly Twitter).”
The statement was signed by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, in Abuja.
Rejecting the allegation in strong terms, INEC stated that “this allegation is entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors.”
The Commission further clarified that “for the avoidance of doubt, the INEC Chairman does not own or operate any personal account on X,” adding that he “has at no time engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity.”
According to the statement, the purported X post is part of a broader attempt to undermine the credibility of the Commission’s leadership.
It described the development as “a desperate attempt to impugn the integrity and neutrality of the Chairman at a critical period when the Commission is focused on significant electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls,” stressing that “it is a needless distraction designed to stir public distrust in the electoral umpire.”
INEC also raised concerns over fraudulent activities linked to impersonation, revealing that “cybercriminals have been on the prowl, utilising fake social media accounts in the Chairman’s name to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.”
The Commission disclosed that “several of such fraudulent accounts had been identified and reported to security agencies in the past,” adding that “this latest fabrication is merely a continuation of a criminal pattern aimed at exploiting the Commission’s profile for illicit gains.”
The electoral body vowed to take decisive action against those behind the alleged misinformation campaign.
“The Commission will not fold its arms while the character of its leadership is being assassinated by digital imposters and mischief-makers,” the statement said.
It further announced that it is “working in close collaboration with relevant security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track and identify the individuals or groups behind this identity theft and misinformation.”
Warning of legal consequences, INEC emphasised that “identity theft and the dissemination of deepfake or forged social media interactions are criminal offenses under the Cybercrimes Act,” adding that “those responsible for this mischief will be tracked and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others who believe the digital space is a safe haven for criminality.”
The Commission urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely only on official sources for information.
“The general public is hereby urged to disregard this falsehood in its entirety,” it stated, assuring that “official information regarding the Commission and the Chairman’s activities [will be disseminated] only through our verified institutional channels and formal press statements.”
Reaffirming its commitment, INEC concluded that it “remains undeterred and fully committed to its mandate of delivering free, fair, and credible elections for all Nigerians.”
Earlier, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said it would escalate its campaign against Prof Amupitan, announcing plans to submit petitions to foreign governments, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant institutions over allegations it described as damaging to the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.
This position was stated by its spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement issued on Saturday and seen by SaharaReporters.
Bolaji on behalf of the party also insisted that Prof Amupitan must immediately resign, alleging that recent revelations and what it called “incontrovertible digital evidence” have further undermined public trust in his neutrality as head of the electoral body.
According to the ADC, the controversy stems from “a recent revelation linking a pro-Bola Tinubu tweet of 2023 to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Amupitan,” which it said “is not merely disturbing, it is a grave affront to the integrity of our electoral system.”
The party maintained that in any democratic system, the credibility of an electoral umpire depends not only on independence but also on public perception of impartiality, warning that anything short of that standard threatens electoral legitimacy.
