The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved to track down and arrest those behind a fake X account linked to its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, after a forensic probe exposed the claims as a coordinated disinformation campaign.
The development follows weeks of online controversy triggered by viral screenshots alleging that the INEC chairman operated an X (formerly Twitter) account and made a partisan post declaring, “Victory is sure.”
In a statement issued on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the commission warned against the spread of unverified social media content, describing the claims as false and deliberately misleading.
According to the statement, a comprehensive independent forensic and cybersecurity investigation commissioned by INEC found the allegations to be “fabricated, technically impossible and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.”
“The forensic evidence is comprehensive, multi-sourced and unambiguous. The posts attributed to Prof. Amupitan are fabricated. The account is a clear case of impersonation,” the statement read.
The report, which relied on X platform data analysis, OSINT tools, internet archive records, and timestamp verification, concluded that the INEC chairman does not operate any personal X account.
“Prof. Joash Amupitan does not operate any personal X account. All alleged posts, replies or statements linked to him are fraudulent and unverifiable,” the statement added.
Providing further details, the commission noted that the disputed account, created in September 2022, bore no connection to the chairman’s known email addresses or official institutional contacts.
Investigators also identified critical inconsistencies in the viral content, particularly the timing of the alleged post.
“The alleged reply ‘Victory is sure’ was posted 13 minutes before the original post it responded to. This is physically impossible on any digital platform,” the report stated.
It further revealed that the purported reply could not be found on the live X platform or in any archived records.
“The reply has never existed on X. It is absent from both live threads and historical records,” the statement said.
INEC also cited findings from the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), which showed no trace of the account or related activity before April 2026.
The investigation uncovered what it described as a deliberate impersonation pattern, noting that the account was abruptly altered after the controversy broke.
“On the same day the screenshots went viral, the account was renamed from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00, set to private, and labelled a ‘Parody Account,’” the report revealed.
“The renaming and ‘parody’ label is consistent with damage control by an impersonator,” it added.
The commission further disclosed that at least seven fake accounts across Facebook and Instagram were linked to similar identity misuse, pointing to what investigators described as a “multi-platform coordinated impersonation effort.”
Addressing claims that the account was linked to the chairman through email, phone number, or Bank Verification Number (BVN), the report firmly dismissed such assertions.
“A phone number appearing in BVN records does not establish ownership of a social media account. There is no technical linkage between the X account and the phone number or email address,” the statement clarified.
It added that multiple recovery attempts using X platform verification tools failed to connect the account to any official identity belonging to the INEC chairman.
INEC confirmed that the matter has been referred to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
“We have formally referred this case to the appropriate authorities. Those responsible for this coordinated act of impersonation and disinformation will be identified and brought to justice,” the commission stated.
The electoral body urged the public and media organisations to exercise caution and adhere to strict verification standards before sharing or publishing online content.
“The public is advised to refrain from sharing or amplifying unverified screenshots. Media organisations must apply rigorous verification processes to avoid spreading falsehood,” the statement said.
INEC also called on social media platforms, including X, Meta, and Instagram, to strengthen their response mechanisms against impersonation of public officials.
“Platforms must take proactive steps to detect, flag, and remove impersonation accounts swiftly to protect the integrity of public discourse,” it added.
Reaffirming its position, the commission stressed that all official communications from its chairman would only be disseminated through verified institutional channels.
