The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed claims that it copied a recent press statement from Dada Olusegun, a media aide to President Bola Tinubu.
In its response, the commission described the allegations as false, misleading, and a distortion of the facts.
The controversy arose after INEC shared a statement addressing reports that its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, had endorsed a partisan post on X or was operating a personal account on the platform. The original statement, issued on April 10, 2026, and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, dismissed the claims as unfounded and warned about impersonation by cybercriminals.
However, a report by Peoples Gazette suggested that a similar statement had been posted earlier by Olusegun, prompting speculation online about possible coordination and raising concerns about INEC’s independence.
Reacting to the development, INEC clarified via its official X account that it did not source the statement from any individual or external platform. It stressed that any prior circulation of the content outside its official channels was not authorised or linked to the commission.
INEC explained that its repost was intended solely to reinforce accurate information already issued through its own communication channels and should not be interpreted as alignment with any political figure or office.
Reaffirming its neutrality, the commission urged Nigerians to disregard misleading narratives and rely only on its verified platforms for credible updates.
This clarification comes amid increased public scrutiny of INEC’s activities, particularly as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections and following recent controversies surrounding party leadership disputes.
- Punchng