The Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected claims that it copied a recent press statement from Dada Olusegun, a Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media.
The commission described such reports as “fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.”
The issue arose after INEC reposted a statement initially released to counter allegations that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, had endorsed a partisan message on X or operated a personal account on the platform.
The statement, issued on April 10, 2026, and signed by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, dismissed the claims as “entirely baseless” and a “fabrication,” while cautioning about cybercriminals impersonating the Chairman online.
However, on Sunday, Peoples Gazette reported that Olusegun had shared a similar or identical statement hours before INEC published its own version.
In a report titled “Nigerians react as INEC reposts Tinubu aide’s message,” the publication highlighted reactions from members of the public who accused the electoral body of duplicating content and questioned its independence.
Some social media users alleged that the wording matched exactly and hinted at possible coordination with the Presidency.
“An X user, #Mrfestusogun, said, ‘Dada Olusegun posted an INEC press statement 23 hours before INEC even posted it.’”
“Another user, #adeyanjudeji, wrote that ‘the president’s SA on media is the one helping the INEC chairman to debunk allegations of partisanship,’” the report stated.
In a response shared on its official X handle on Sunday, INEC maintained that it did not copy the statement from any external source.
“Any circulation of the statement outside the Commission’s official channels was done independently and not coordinated by INEC.”
“The publication by Peoples Gazette is fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.”
“INEC’s repost of the statement was solely to amplify accurate information earlier released from the Commission and should not be misconstrued as alignment with any individual or political office holder,” the rebuttal read.
INEC reiterated its non-partisan position, stating:
“The Commission remains strictly non-partisan and urges the public to disregard misleading interpretations of its actions.”
It also advised Nigerians to depend only on its verified official platforms for credible information.
The situation comes amid increased scrutiny of the commission’s leadership and its preparations for upcoming elections, including the 2027 general elections.
Recent actions by INEC, such as the derecognition of ADC leadership, have drawn criticism from opposition parties and renewed calls for Amupitan’s resignation.
