INEC Warns Against Digital Impersonation of Chairman

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned against digital impersonation aimed at its chairman, Joash Amupitan. Lawrence Bayod, INEC's ICT Director, stated in an interview that the issue extends beyond individual cases and poses a broader risk of misinformation targeting the public.

INEC clarified that Amupitan does not maintain any personal social media accounts, and any content attributed to such accounts is not recognized by the commission. This warning follows the resurfacing of a controversial post on social media that suggested partisan alignment involving the INEC chairman.

Dayo Israel, the APC National Youth Leader, had previously shared a post celebrating electoral victories in predominantly Igbo communities. INEC's chief press secretary, Adedayo Oketola, described the allegations as false and misleading, asserting that they are part of a coordinated misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the electoral body.

The commission also warned that cybercriminals are exploiting fake accounts to mislead the public and urged collaboration with security agencies to address these impersonation tactics.