The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected reports circulating on social media claiming that its chairman, Joash Amupitan, operates a personal account on X.
The rumours recently surfaced online, alleging that Amupitan owned an X account and had used it to support or interact with a partisan political post.
In a statement issued on Friday, Adedayo Oketola, chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, described the claim as “entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors.”
Oketola stressed that Amupitan has never taken part in political commentary and urged the public to disregard the false claims.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the INEC Chairman does not own or operate any personal account on X. He has at no time engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity,” the statement said.
He added that the viral post appears to be a calculated attempt to damage the chairman’s credibility and neutrality at a time when the commission is concentrating on key electoral reforms and preparations for future elections.
Oketola also warned about fake social media accounts impersonating Amupitan, saying such fraudulent profiles have been used by cybercriminals to deceive Nigerians.
“Cybercriminals have been on the prowl, utilising fake social media accounts in the Chairman’s name to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians,” he added.
According to him, several of the fake accounts have already been reported to security agencies, while INEC is collaborating with law enforcement and cyber-intelligence units to track down those behind the impersonation and misinformation.