By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
ALLEGED SOCIAL media posts linking the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan, to a personal X account have been declared fabricated after a forensic investigation found no connection and confirmed coordinated impersonation.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Mr Adedayo Oketola, said in a statement issued in Abuja on April 20, 2026 that the purported X account attributed to the INEC Chairman is fake and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.
He stated that the commission assigned an independent forensic cybersecurity expert who conducted a multi-layered forensic and digital investigation using X platform data, internet archive records, OSINT tools, identity forensics and cross platform analysis.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, committed to a full forensic investigation, commissioned an independent forensic cybersecurity expert, who conducted a multi layered forensic and digital investigation using X platform data, internet archive records, OSINT tools, identity forensics and cross platform analysis,” Oketola said.
He added that all posts, replies and screenshots linking the Chairman to the handle @joashamupitan are fraudulent, forensically unverifiable and technically impossible.
The controversy began on April 10, 2026 when viral social media posts alleged that the Chairman made a partisan comment, “Victory is sure,” in response to another user, supported by screenshots and purported digital records.
Oketola said forensic verification of the original post with ID 1637111200159879170 established that it was published at 15:18:20 GMT, 4:18pm Nigeria time, adding that the timestamp remains active on the @dayoisreal X account and is independently verifiable.
He stated that the alleged reply was timestamped 13 minutes before the original post existed, noting that no platform can receive a reply before the original post is published and describing the occurrence as physically impossible.
“The timestamp discrepancy is not a minor inconsistency or time zone error. It is proof that the screenshot was edited or digitally fabricated before circulation,” he said, adding that the post and account were doctored using artificial intelligence.
Findings showed no digital linkage between the disputed account and the Chairman’s verified email addresses or phone numbers, as multiple recovery and verification attempts failed to establish any connection.
The statement noted that data used to suggest ownership of the account only confirms identity and does not establish control of any social media handle.
Searches on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine showed zero evidence of the account or its activity prior to April 2026.
Live platform verification confirmed that the original post by @dayoisreal is accessible on the platform, while the alleged reply from @joashamupitan is not present in the thread and has never existed.
All verifiable replies to the post are timestamped after 4:18 PM, while exhaustive searches for “Victory is sure” and “evil in the 24th century” from the account returned zero results.
The account was renamed @sundayvibe00 on the same day the screenshots went viral, set to private and labelled a parody account.
The investigation identified a broader pattern of impersonation across multiple platforms, including at least seven Facebook accounts using variations of the Chairman’s name created or active between 2018 and 2021 before his October 2025 appointment, as well as an Instagram account reusing profile photographs linked to those accounts.
It also found that publicly available personal information was used to create forensic looking but false linkages through email and phone data.
“The forensic evidence is comprehensive, multi sourced, and unambiguous. The posts attributed to Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan on X are fabricated. The account is a clear case of impersonation,” Oketola said.
An independent investigator described the development as “a coordinated digital impersonation and disinformation campaign,” warning that advances in artificial intelligence have made it easier to fabricate misleading content.
Oketola urged the public to refrain from sharing, commenting on or amplifying screenshots allegedly linked to INEC officials unless verified through official channels, stating that “the fact that content goes viral does not make it authentic.”
He said media organisations have a duty to apply strict forensic verification standards to social media posts and screenshots before publishing them, especially when such content implicates public officials or carries consequences for public trust and institutional credibility, stressing that accuracy must guide reporting.
The independent forensic report has been referred to law enforcement agencies for necessary action, with a call to investigate the origin of the fabricated screenshots, identify those responsible for creating and operating the account and prosecute them under the Cybercrimes Act, which criminalises identity theft, digital forgery and dissemination of manipulated electronic content.
The statement also called on social media platforms including X, Meta and Instagram to adopt fast track impersonation response protocols for verified electoral bodies and senior public officials.
It warned that generative artificial intelligence, deepfakes and digital manipulation make it possible to fabricate screenshots using basic image editing tools.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that Oketola reiterated that Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan does not operate any personal account on X and that all official communications from INEC are issued exclusively through its verified platforms, including its website, verified X account @inecnigeria, official Facebook page, online news portal, formal press statements from its headquarters in Abuja and official media briefings.
He added that any account on X, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram or any other platform purporting to represent the Chairman in a personal capacity should be treated as fraudulent unless formally verified by the commission.
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