Forensic Investigation Clears INEC Chairman of Fraud Claims

A forensic investigation has exonerated the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, from allegations concerning a fabricated social media account.

Mr. Adedayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, announced on Monday that the investigation established that the chairman was not the operator of the account in question.

The controversy began on April 10, 2026, when a viral social media post falsely claimed that the chairman made a partisan comment. The claim was accompanied by a screenshot purporting to show digital records, including email, phone number, and bank verification data.

However, the investigation, conducted in collaboration with independent cybersecurity experts, revealed that the claims were entirely false. Forensic evidence indicated that the account was a clear case of impersonation, with timestamp analysis showing manipulation.

The investigation confirmed that the chairman did not respond to the original tweet, which was purportedly replied to 13 minutes after it was posted.