The chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has denied operating any personal account on X, formerly Twitter, and warned against fake profiles impersonating him.
Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), issued a statement on Friday in Abuja denying claims that he endorsed a partisan post on X. The statement, released by his chief press secretary Adedayo Oketola, described the viral allegation as 'entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors.' INEC emphasized that Amupitan has never engaged in partisan commentary or associated with any political leaning.
INEC highlighted the timing of the claim as a deliberate attempt to question the chairman's integrity during preparations for electoral reforms and upcoming polls. The commission also revealed that cybercriminals have created fake accounts in Amupitan's name to defraud Nigerians, with several already reported to security agencies.
Describing the incident as part of a criminal pattern exploiting INEC's profile, the commission stated it is collaborating with security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track the perpetrators. INEC vowed to prosecute offenders under the Cybercrimes Act, which addresses identity theft and forged social media interactions.
The electoral body urged the public to ignore the viral post and rely solely on its verified institutional channels and official press statements for information.
