The office of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected reports linking Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) to a social media account on X, describing the claim as false and deliberately misleading.
According to the commission, the chairman does not own or operate any account on the platform, insisting that the profile being circulated is fake and part of a calculated effort to damage his credibility.
The controversial account had suggested that Amupitan supported a politically charged post, an allegation INEC said was entirely fabricated and without any basis.
In a statement released by Adedayo Oketola, the commission stressed that the chairman has never engaged in partisan commentary or shown allegiance to any political interest.
“To clarify, the INEC Chairman does not possess or manage any personal account on X. He has never engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever aligned himself with any political bias or activity in either his private or public roles.”
INEC described the viral post as a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity and neutrality of its leadership, especially as the commission intensifies efforts toward electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls.
The commission also raised concerns about ongoing impersonation by cybercriminals, noting that multiple fake accounts using the chairman’s identity have been uncovered and reported to security agencies.
“This latest fabrication is simply a continuation of a criminal trend aimed at exploiting the Commission’s reputation for unlawful purposes.”
It added that it is working closely with security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track down those responsible, warning that it will not allow its leadership to be targeted by misinformation and identity theft.
