INEC chair linked to X account; calls for resignation grow

‎A fact-check by Daily Trust has established a link between the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, and an X account in which partisan commentaries were made in 2023.

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‎This is as calls for his resignation intensify following allegations that he showed sympathy to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its then presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, before and after the 2023 elections.

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‎Civil society organisations, political parties, groups and individuals calling on the INEC chairman to resign said that with the alleged open bias he had shown before he was appointed to office, the law professor has compromised any claim of objectivity to hold the office.

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‎An X account linked to the INEC chairman has been reported to contain comments suggesting open support for President Tinubu.

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‎On March 17, 2023, when one Okodoro Oro circulated a claim that Peter Obi supporters had used an old photograph of a bloodied man to malign Lagos State legislator Desmond Elliot, Amupitan commented, saying: “They are evil in the 24th century.”

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‎In another comment, while responding to a tweet by the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, on March 18, 2023, where Israel said that he had succeeded in claiming victory for the APC in an “Igbo-dominated” polling unit, Amupitan replied: “Victory is sure.”

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‎Then in April 25, 2023, as a Tinubu support account celebrated the reception Tinubu received at the Abuja airport, Amupitan responded with a single word: “Asiwaju.”

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‎The INEC, in a press statement by its Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, however, said that the X account associated with Amupitan was “fake,” while the account itself had undergone various changes.

‎Fact check: Evidence links Amupitan to X account

‎Claim: Amupitan owns or operated the controversial X handle @joashamupitan, which has since been altered and labelled a parody account.

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‎Verification process

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‎(A) Account history and username changes: An investigation into the account history shows that the X account with user ID 1567086242164101120 was created on September 6, 2022. It originally used the handle @joashamupitan. On April 10, 2026, amid controversy, it was renamed to @Sundayvibe00, locked (protected) and later labelled a “Parody Account”.

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‎Using OSINT tools and platforms like TweetHunter and X’s internal search systems, it was confirmed that user IDs on X are permanent, even when usernames change. Also, the account retained the @joashamupitan identity for years before the change.

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‎This establishes a continuous digital trail linking all versions of the account.

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‎(B) Emergence of a new handle: A separate account using the same handle @joashamupitan appeared in April 2026, shortly after the original account changed its name.

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‎This suggests possible handle recycling, or impersonation, complicating attribution.

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‎C) Content analysis of posts: Archived posts from April 10–11, 2026, show messages framed as official statements, language consistent with institutional communication and signature attribution to “Prof. J.O. Amupitan (SAN)”.

‎Examples include commitments to:Electoral transparency, credibility of elections, and protection of votes. The tone aligns with what would be expected from a public officeholder, further fuelling suspicion.

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‎D) Image and thread verification: Profile and attached images were verified as authentic. The thread integrity checks returned 88% and 61% confidence levels, indicating no strong evidence of AI manipulation or fabrication was found.

‎E) Technical attribution (Phone Number & 2FA Claim): A widely circulated claim alleges: The account’s 2FA process is linked to a phone number ending in “99”, listed on Amupitan’s CV, which reportedly ends with similar digits. The same number is allegedly tied to a financial account (Opay) bearing his name.

‎However, these claims rely on non-public data (2FA and account linkage), which cannot be independently verified through open-source methods.

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‎The email captured on his account, which is now trending, is consistent with his CV, but all information on the account has been deleted. Available open-source tools can no longer access the profile information.

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‎Additionally, no direct forensic confirmation was obtained linking the phone number to the X account. As such, this line of evidence remains inconclusive.

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‎INEC chairman’s response

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‎Through his media aide, Prof. Amupitan denied any connection to the account, insisting he does not operate any X account and has never engaged in partisan commentary, adding that he maintains political neutrality in both public and private capacities.

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‎Findings

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‎A real X account existed under @joashamupitan since 2022. The account’s digital footprint is consistent and traceable.  It was later renamed, locked, and labelled a parody account.

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‎Posts linked to the account appear authentic and institutionally styled.

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‎A new account with the same handle emerged in 2026, complicating attribution.

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‎Claims linking the account to Amupitan via phone number or 2FA remain unverified.

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‎Verdict

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‎There is credible evidence that an X (formerly Twitter) account was previously operated under the handle @joashamupitan, with a consistent digital history and authentic content.

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‎At the same time, another long-standing account bearing his exact name also exists, with posts attributed to him over time.

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‎The timing of the modification amid recent controversy raises unresolved questions. On this basis, the claim is rated: mostly true.

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‎Amupitan has shown bias—PDP, ADC

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‎The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has accused the chairman of the INEC of bias, saying his early resignation will save the day.

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‎Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the party, told Daily Trust that the INEC boss had not been “unpretentious in his partisanship”.

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‎According to him, Amupitan’s partisanship has become the greatest impediment to the conduct of a free and fair election in 2027.

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‎While calling on him to save the day by resigning his position, Ememobong said, “The INEC chairman has been very unpretentious in his partisanship. We have said so severally and can reiterate same.

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‎The African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a statement Saturday by its national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the alleged past partisan commentary as “a grave affront to the integrity of our electoral system” and warned that the party would escalate civil disobedience until the chairman steps down.

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‎CSOs join call for Amupitan’s resignation

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‎Comrade Umar Ibrahim Umar, Executive Director of War Against Injustice, a rights and governance advocacy group, argued that the controversies surrounding INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, have reached a point where stepping aside may be the most honourable course of action.

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‎While acknowledging that he could not confirm the veracity of the allegations against Amupitan, Umar stressed that the issue transcends personal guilt or innocence. “It concerns the sanctity, credibility and public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process,” he said.

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‎Executive Director of the Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases & Social Vices (YOSPIS), Zainab Nasir Ahmad, emphasised that public trust is the bedrock of credible elections.

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‎“The moment people begin to doubt the neutrality of the electoral umpire, the legitimacy of the outcome is already at risk, regardless of how well the process is conducted,” she noted.

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‎Katsina State chairman of the coalition of Civil Society Organisation, Abdulrahman Abdullahi Dutsanma, said the fundamental error in the appointment of the INEC boss began with either a poor background check on the personality of Amupitan or keeping the findings aside to pave the way for his appointment.

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‎The chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation in Bayelsa State, David-West Benewarie, said that though the recent actions by Amupitan showed he was doing the bidding of the government, he would not support his resignation but would urge him to be fair to all the political parties.

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‎A Kano-based lawyer, Barrister Kamilu Ahmad-Paki, has openly questioned the impartiality of INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan, insisting that his recent comments and actions betray bias.

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‎“INEC requires a leader of high integrity and neutrality. Once there is evidence of bias or compromise, as in his recent actions and past social media activities, that person does not deserve to hold the position,” he said.

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‎He said the opposition has a strong legal basis to demand Amupitan’s resignation or removal.

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‎Coordinator, Elite Network for Sustainable Development (ENETSUD), Lanre Osho, said: “It is troubling for the INEC chairman to be perceived as acting like a mouthpiece of the government, especially in matters such as the alleged derecognition of the ADC.”

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‎Osho maintained that INEC, as constitutionally established, does not have the authority to disqualify political parties outside the provisions of the law.

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‎“INEC is an independent body and does not have the power to disqualify a political party. Such decisions rest with the court,” he added.

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‎For his part, the Director of the Media Advocacy and Technologies Centre, Musa Aliyu, said the sensitivity of the office of the INEC chairman requires a high level of restraint and a deliberate effort to avoid controversies that could undermine institutional integrity.

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‎He noted that the occupant of such a position must not only be neutral but must also be seen to be above any form of public suspicion.

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‎“The INEC chairman, by the very nature of his responsibilities, must be seen to operate above any form of controversy,” Aliyu said.

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