The Independent National Electoral Commission has disowned a purported X account attributed to its Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, describing it as fake and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Adedayo Oketola, said a comprehensive, multi-layered forensic investigation by independent cybersecurity experts has conclusively established that Prof. Amupitan does not operate any personal X account.
“All posts, replies, and screenshots linking him to the handle @joashamupitan are fraudulent, forensically unverifiable, and technically impossible,” Oketola said.
He explained that the Commission commissioned an independent forensic cybersecurity expert who conducted a digital investigation using X platform data, internet archive records, open-source intelligence tools, identity forensics, and cross-platform analysis.
The controversy began on April 10, 2026, when social media posts went viral alleging that the Chairman made a partisan comment “Victory is sure” in response to another user, supported by screenshots and purported digital records.
Oketola said the investigation uncovered clear evidence of fabrication and impersonation. Among the key findings, he noted, were that no digital linkage exists between the disputed account and Prof. Amupitan’s verified email addresses or phone numbers, as recovery and verification attempts failed to establish any connection.
He added that claims linking the account to the Chairman through BVN or OPay data were misleading, as such data only confirms identity and does not establish control of a social media handle.
Crucially, the forensic report found that the alleged reply “Victory is sure” was time-stamped 13 minutes before the original tweet it purportedly responded to an occurrence Oketola described as “technically impossible and definitive proof of fabrication.”
Further checks on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine showed no evidence of the account or its alleged activity prior to April 2026, while live checks confirmed the reply does not exist and has never existed on X.
On the same day the screenshots went viral, the account was renamed @sundayvibe00, set to private, and labeled a “parody account,” indicating what Oketola called “deliberate impersonation and damage control.”
The investigation also identified at least seven fake accounts across Facebook and Instagram using the Chairman’s identity, pointing to a sustained disinformation effort.
“The forensic evidence is comprehensive, multi-sourced, and unambiguous. The posts attributed to Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan on X are fabricated. The account is a clear case of impersonation,” Oketola said.
Quoting one of the independent investigators, he described the development as “a coordinated digital impersonation and disinformation campaign,” and warned that advances in artificial intelligence had made it easier to fabricate misleading content.
He urged the public to avoid sharing unverified information, stressing that “the fact that content goes viral does not make it authentic.” He also called on media organisations to prioritise accuracy over speed and to apply strict forensic verification standards to social media posts before publication, especially when such content implicates public officials.
Oketola confirmed that the independent forensic report had been referred to law enforcement agencies for necessary action. He appealed to security agencies to investigate the origin of the fake account and prosecute those responsible under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act. He reiterated that all official communications from INEC are disseminated exclusively through its verified platforms, including its website, http://www.inecnigeria.org; verified X account, @inecnigeria; official Facebook page; online news portal, http://www.inecnews.com; formal press statements from its headquarters; and official media briefings. Any account purporting to represent the INEC Chairman in a personal capacity, he said, should be treated as fraudulent unless formally verified by the Commission
