INEC: X account linked to Amupitan is digital impersonation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says an alleged X account linked to its chairman, Joash Amupitan, is a case of digital impersonation.

In a statement issued on Monday, Adedayo Oketola, chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, said a forensic investigation found that the account, @joashamupitan, and all posts attributed to Amupitan were fake and “forensically unverifiable.”

The controversy began on April 10 after social media users circulated screenshots alleging that Amupitan operated the account and made a partisan comment, “Victory is sure,” in response to another user.

The claim was further amplified by screenshots showing emails, phone numbers, OPay details, and bank verification number (BVN), which were presented as proof of ownership.

However, Oketola said INEC commissioned an independent cybersecurity expert to conduct a multi-layered forensic investigation using platform data, internet archives, and open-source intelligence tools.

“The independent forensic investigation report conclusively establishes that Prof. Amupitan does not operate any personal X (Twitter) account,” the statement read.

“All alleged posts, replies, or statements attributed to him are fraudulent, forensically unverifiable, technically impossible, and part of a coordinated disinformation effort.”

Oketola added that the disputed account underwent suspicious changes on the same day the screenshots went viral.

According to him, the account was renamed from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00, then set to private before later being labelled a parody account.

“This appears to be a damage-control tactic by an impersonator attempting to erase a digital trail,” he said.

He also dismissed claims linking the account to Amupitan’s email and phone number, noting that forensic tests found no connection.

“The X platform would have confirmed any genuine linkage. There is no association between the email account and the X account,” he said.

“A phone number appearing in a BVN record cannot establish ownership of a social media account. That conclusion is a logical fallacy, not forensic proof.”

Oketola further rejected claims based on data breach records, describing them as non-specific and insufficient to establish ownership or control of the account.

He said one of the key findings was a timestamp inconsistency in the viral screenshot.

“The alleged reply was timestamped 13 minutes before the original post existed. This is impossible on any platform and indicates the screenshot was digitally fabricated,” he said.

He added that checks on X showed the alleged reply does not exist and has never existed.

Oketola said the investigation also uncovered a broader pattern of impersonation across multiple platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

He described the findings as comprehensive and unambiguous, noting that the case has been referred to law enforcement agencies for further action.

“The authorities must identify those behind the fabricated content and prosecute them under the Cybercrimes Act,” he said.