NIGERIA: INEC Denies X Account Reportedly Belonging To It’s Chairman … Commission Warns Against Fake Posts And Cyber Fraud By Onoja Baba, Nigeria The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly debunked claims circulating on social media that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, endorsed a partisan post on the platform X (formerly Twitter). It described the allegation as a deliberate fabrication intended to tarnish the Chairman’s reputation and undermine public trust in the electoral body. In a press statement issued on Saturday, by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the Commission stated categorically that Prof. Amupitan does not own or operate any personal account on X and has never engaged in partisan commentary or associated himself with any political leaning in either his private or public capacity. The Commission described the viral post as a “malicious and coordinated campaign of calumny” designed to distract the electoral umpire at a time when it is focused on critical electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls. It warned that the falsehood was part of a wider pattern of cyber fraud, noting that impersonators have repeatedly created fake accounts in the Chairman’s name to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians. INEC revealed that several such fraudulent accounts had been identified and reported to security agencies in the past, and it is now collaborating closely with relevant cyber-intelligence units to track and prosecute those responsible for the latest misinformation. The Commission stressed that identity theft and the dissemination of forged social media interactions constitute criminal offences under the Cybercrimes Act, and those behind the scheme would face the full wrath of the law. The statement urged members of the public to disregard the false claim entirely and to rely solely on INEC’s verified institutional channels for official information about the Commission and the Chairman’s activities. INEC reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to delivering free, fair, and credible elections for all Nigerians, insisting that it would not be distracted by such partisan mischief and digital imposters. This latest clarification comes amid growing concerns over the increasing use of fake social media accounts to impersonate public officials and spread misinformation during sensitive periods in the electoral cycle.