ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing a massive credibility crisis following a digital forensic investigation that appears to link Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) to a partisan social media account he officially disowned.
While INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, released a statement on April 10, 2026, labeling claims of the Chairman’s social media presence as “false” and “baseless,” new data reveals a digital footprint dating back nearly twenty years that contradicts the official narrative.
The Forensic Trail
A deep dive into public digital archives and recovery protocols has linked the X account in question—active since 2022—to Amupitan’s long-standing personal information. The account is reportedly tied to a Yahoo email address established in 2006 and phone numbers registered in the Chairman’s name between 2009 and 2011.
Further compounding the evidence, two-factor authentication (2FA) for the profile is reportedly connected to his official University of Jos (UNIJOS) email. The same contact details are linked to his WhatsApp and OPay accounts, creating a cohesive digital identity that matches the Chairman’s verified public records.
The “Impersonator” Defense
INEC has maintained that the Chairman does not own or operate any account on X, suggesting that “cybercriminals” and “impersonators” are behind the partisan posts. However, tech experts point out that for an impersonator to have hijacked a profile linked to private university emails and phone numbers registered over a decade ago would imply a security breach of impossible proportions.
Crisis of Neutrality
The revelation has provided fresh ammunition to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other critics who have long accused Prof. Amupitan of being a “card-carrying member” of the APC. The partisan nature of the posts on the disputed account—often praising President Tinubu—now stands as a central piece of evidence for those demanding the Chairman’s immediate resignation.
As the “fact-based conclusion” circulates online, the pressure has shifted back to the commission. Nigerians are now demanding a more transparent explanation for how the Chairman’s personal, decades-old contact information ended up at the center of what INEC calls a “misinformation campaign.”
