The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally addressed a series of controversial posts attributed to its Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN. In mid-April 2026, an X (formerly Twitter) account with the handle @joashamupitan began posting heavily partisan comments, sparking concerns about the neutrality of the electoral body as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
In a press conference held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education clarified that Professor Amupitan does not hold any personal account on X or any other social media platform. The Commission described the account as a “coordinated act of digital impersonation” designed to incite political tension and erode public confidence in the electoral process.
A technical audit of the account revealed that the profile was originally created in 2021 under a different name and was recently rebranded with the Chairman’s official portrait and biography to deceive the public. The account used “engagement bait” tactics, including fake polls and inflammatory statements, to gain thousands of followers in a matter of days. INEC noted that the screenshots of tweets being circulated were often doctored to show the “Blue Checkmark” of verification, which the account did not actually possess.
The Chairman reiterated his commitment to the oath of office and the non-partisan mandate of the Commission. He urged political stakeholders and the media to exercise caution and perform due diligence before amplifying content from unverified social media profiles. INEC has formally reported the account to X for violation of its impersonation policies and has requested its immediate suspension. Security agencies have also been briefed to investigate the individuals behind the fraudulent profile to prevent further attempts at destabilizing the nation’s democratic foundations through digital misinformation.
