The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says a forensic investigation has confirmed that Prof. Joash Amupitan did not operate any account on X (formerly Twitter).
In a statement on Monday, Adedayo Oketola, chief press secretary/media adviser to the INEC chairman, said the commission launched a probe after viral posts linked Amupitan to a purported X account.
Oketola said the investigation involved independent digital forensic and cybersecurity experts who analysed platform data, internet archive records, and cross-platform activity.
He said the findings showed that the account and all related posts attributed to Amupitan were fabricated.
“The forensic investigation conclusively establishes that Prof. Amupitan does not operate any personal X account,” the statement said.
INEC said the alleged posts, including a purported partisan comment, were “fraudulent, forensically unverifiable, and technically impossible”.
The commission added that the activity surrounding the account points to a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at misleading the public.
It urged Nigerians to avoid sharing or amplifying unverified screenshots, warning that digital content can be easily manipulated using basic tools and artificial intelligence.
INEC also asked media organisations to apply strict verification standards before publishing content from social media, especially when it involves public officials.
The commission said it has forwarded the forensic report to law enforcement agencies for further action.
It called on authorities to identify those behind the alleged impersonation and prosecute them under the Cybercrimes Act.
INEC added that all official communications are issued through its verified platforms, including its website and official social media handles, advising the public to disregard any accounts claiming to represent Amupitan.
