The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims that its chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, operates a personal account on X, describing the allegation as a case of digital impersonation.
In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said a forensic investigation found that screenshots circulating online, purportedly showing the chairman making partisan comment, were fabricated and part of a coordinated disinformation effort.
INEC said its probe involved platform data analysis, internet archive checks, open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, identity forensics, and cross-platform verification, with an independent cybersecurity expert also reviewing the findings.
According to the commission, the account identified as @joashamupitan, created in September 2022, has no connection to the chairman’s verified email addresses.
It added that timestamp inconsistencies further weakened the claims, citing an alleged 2026 reply that appeared minutes before the original post.
The electoral body also noted that web archive searches showed no trace of the account prior to April 2026, while the disputed reply could not be found in either live or archived threads.
INEC described the account’s sudden renaming to @sundayvibe00, its switch to private mode, and its later designation as a parody as a “damage-control tactic” by impersonators attempting to erase evidence.
It further disclosed that at least seven fake Facebook and Instagram accounts using Amupitan’s identity were uncovered, suggesting a coordinated impersonation campaign.
Addressing claims linking the account to the chairman’s email and phone number, INEC said multiple recovery attempts failed to establish any connection.
While the email address was verified through official records, no forensic link was found between it and the disputed account.
It also clarified that the presence of a phone number in Bank Verification Number records does not prove ownership of a social media account.
Describing its findings as “comprehensive and unambiguous,” the commission maintained that the posts attributed to the chairman were entirely fabricated.
It added that the report has been forwarded to law enforcement agencies for action under the Cybercrimes Act and urged the public to avoid sharing unverified content.
However, some social media users have challenged INEC’s conclusions, presenting what they describe as a timeline analysis of events on the platform.
According to the rebuttal, a post by Dayo Israel was originally made at 16:02 on March 18, 2023, and later edited at 16:18 the same day.
They argue that a reply attributed to Amupitan appeared at 16:05, three minutes after the original post but before it was edited, suggesting the response was made to the initial version of the post, not a manipulated one.
The sequence is seen as undermining INEC’s claim of timestamp inconsistencies and raising questions about the commission’s handling of digital evidence.
They further allege that the explanation points to possible attempts to obscure or reinterpret the timeline of events.
Some opposition voices have also linked the controversy to broader concerns about the neutrality of the electoral body ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly following allegations that the chairman made comments supportive of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
While INEC insists the allegations are baseless and rooted in disinformation, the rebuttal has continued to circulate online, reflecting ongoing public debate over the credibility of the claims and the integrity of the commission’s investigation.
