By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says a detailed forensic investigation has shown “a clear case of impersonation” in a viral tweet attributed to its chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, clearing him of any involvement in partisan social media posts.
INEC also said it will pursue the arrest of individuals behind the fabrication of a fake X (formerly Twitter) account allegedly linked to Prof. Amupitan.
The commission disclosed this in a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, on Monday, April 20, and posted on INEC’s official X handle.
This follows weeks of online controversy sparked by viral screenshots claiming the INEC chairman operated an X account (@joashamupitan) and made a partisan post, “Victory is sure,” purportedly in response to another user.
The allegations escalated after additional screenshots circulated on social media, purporting to show emails, phone numbers, BVN records, and data breach links that connected Amupitan to the account.
Following the claims, INEC said it is working in collaboration with relevant security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track the identities of those it said were behind the identity theft and misinformation.
According to a comprehensive independent forensic and cybersecurity investigation commissioned by INEC, the claims were “fabricated, technically impossible, and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.”
The report, which relied on X platform data analysis, open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, internet archive records, and timestamp verification, concluded that Prof. Amupitan “does not operate any personal X account.”
“The X account attributed to Prof. Amupitan is a clear case of impersonation. All alleged posts, replies, or statements linked to him are fraudulent and unverifiable,” the report read.
The investigation further revealed that the disputed account was created in September 2022 but had no linkage to the professor’s known email or official institutional contacts.
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One of the most critical findings centred on timestamp analysis of the viral post.
The report stated, “The alleged reply ‘Victory is sure’ was posted 13 minutes before the original post it responded to. This is physically impossible on any digital platform.”
It further noted that the supposed reply does not exist on the live X platform or in any archived version, adding, “The reply has never existed on X. It is absent from both live threads and historical records.
“The Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) reportedly showed no trace of the account or any activity attributed to it before April 2026.”
The report also uncovered what it described as a “deliberate impersonation pattern.”
It noted that on the same day the screenshots went viral, the disputed account was renamed from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00, set to private, and tagged as a “Parody Account.”
According to the investigators, this sudden change strongly suggested an attempt to erase digital traces.
“The renaming and ‘parody’ label is consistent with damage-control by an impersonator,” the report stated.
The report also debunked claims that the account was tied to Prof. Amupitan through email, phone number, or BVN records.
Though they confirmed that the professor’s phone number is validly registered, the investigators stressed, “A phone number appearing in BVN records does not establish ownership of a social media account. There is no technical linkage between the X account and the phone number or email address.”
It added that multiple recovery attempts through X platform verification tools failed to connect the account to any official identity belonging to the INEC chairman.
The electoral body further added that the matter has now been referred to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
“The forensic evidence is comprehensive, multi-sourced, and unambiguous. The posts attributed to Prof. Amupitan are fabricated. The account is a clear case of impersonation.
“The public is advised to refrain from sharing or amplifying unverified screenshots. Media organisations must apply strict verification standards before publication,” the statement added.
INEC also urged social media platforms such as X, Meta, and Instagram to strengthen rapid response mechanisms to tackle impersonation of public officials.
The commission reaffirmed that Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan does not operate any personal social media account and that all official communications will continue to be issued through verified INEC channels only.
“Any account purporting to represent the INEC Chairman should be treated as fraudulent unless confirmed through official sources,” the statement added.
