INEC Amupitan fake X account exposed after forensic cybersecurity probe confirms impersonation and disinformation campaign targeting chairman
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that a forensic cybersecurity investigation found no evidence that its Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan operates any account on X, formerly Twitter, describing viral posts attributed to him as fabricated.
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The fake X account controversy was addressed in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola.
INEC said the findings followed weeks of online circulation of screenshots claiming Joash Ojo Amupitan made partisan comments on the social media platform.
The commission stated that the alleged account, which was linked to the handle @joashamupitan, was part of a coordinated impersonation and disinformation effort.
According to INEC, a detailed forensic review was conducted using platform data analysis, internet archive records, and open-source intelligence tools.
The investigation reportedly found a critical timeline inconsistency, showing that a supposed reply attributed to the chairman appeared before the original post it allegedly responded to.
INEC said such a sequence is technically impossible, reinforcing its conclusion that the content was manipulated.
The commission also noted that the account in question showed no historical presence in verified digital archives prior to the date it surfaced online.
It added that further checks on the X platform did not confirm the existence of the alleged posts within original threads or search results.
INEC stated that on the same day the screenshots went viral, the account was renamed, set to private, and labelled a parody account, which investigators interpreted as an attempt to conceal activity.
The electoral body dismissed claims linking the account to Joash Ojo Amupitan through financial or personal data, stating that such details cannot establish social media ownership.
INEC further revealed that multiple fake accounts using the chairman’s name have been identified across various platforms.
The commission has since referred the matter to security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution of those involved.
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It warned against the spread of digital misinformation, describing it as a threat to institutional credibility and public trust.
