Forensic investigation has cleared Amuputan of affiliation to fake X account – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will go after those responsible for creating a fake X account falsely linked to its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, after a forensic investigation cleared him of any connection to the controversy.

The development follows weeks of online debate after screenshots surfaced on social media claiming the INEC chairman operated the handle @joashamupitan and posted a partisan message that read, “Victory is sure.”

The claims gained more traction after additional screenshots allegedly showed emails, phone numbers, BVN records and data breach links connecting the chairman to the account.

However, in a statement issued on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the commission said the allegations were false and warned the public against spreading unverified social media claims.

According to INEC, an independent forensic and cybersecurity investigation found that the claims were fabricated and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.

The report stated that Prof. Amupitan does not operate any personal X account and has no connection with the disputed handle.

It further described the account as a clear case of impersonation, stressing that all posts and statements attributed to the chairman were fake and unverifiable.

One of the major discoveries from the investigation was that the alleged reply, “Victory is sure,” was said to have been posted 13 minutes before the original message it supposedly responded to.

Investigators noted that such a sequence was technically impossible on any digital platform.

They also confirmed that the disputed reply could not be found on the live X platform or in archived records.

The report added that the account was originally created in September 2022 but had no connection to the chairman’s known email addresses or official contacts.

INEC also said the account was renamed from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00 on the same day the screenshots went viral, after which it was made private and labelled a parody account.

The commission described the move as an attempt to erase traces of the impersonation.

Investigators reportedly uncovered at least seven other fake accounts across Facebook and Instagram using similar identity misuse tactics.

The report also dismissed claims linking the chairman’s BVN, email or phone number to the fake X account.

According to the investigators, the appearance of a phone number in BVN records does not prove ownership of any social media account.

INEC said the matter has now been handed over to security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution under the Cybercrimes Act.

The commission urged Nigerians and media organisations to verify online claims before sharing them and advised social media platforms to strengthen measures against impersonation of public officials.

INEC reaffirmed that Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan does not operate any personal social media account and said all official communication would continue to come only through verified commission channels.

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