The Independent National Electoral Commission announced Monday that a forensic probe cleared its chairman of links to partisan social media posts. Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan did not operate the disputed X account, investigators determined.
Weeks of online controversy preceded the announcement. Viral screenshots claimed Prof. Amupitan ran the account @joashamupitan and replied “Victory is sure” to a partisan post. Additional images alleged ties through emails, phone numbers and BVN records.
Independent National Electoral Commission Chief Press Secretary Adedayo Oketola signed the statement. He warned the public against spreading unverified content.
A comprehensive independent forensic and cybersecurity investigation commissioned by the commission delivered clear results. Experts used X platform data, OSINT tools, internet archives and timestamp verification. They concluded the claims were fabricated, technically impossible and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.
Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan does not operate any personal X account, the report stated. The disputed account was created in September 2022 but showed no connection to his known email or official contacts.
Timestamp analysis provided key evidence. The alleged reply “Victory is sure” appeared 13 minutes before the original post it supposedly answered. This sequence is physically impossible on any digital platform. Moreover the reply never existed on live X threads or archived records.
The Internet Archive showed no trace of the account or activity before April 2026. On the day screenshots went viral, the account changed its name to @sundayvibe00, turned private and added a “Parody Account” label.
Investigators also debunked claims of connections to Prof. Amupitan’s email, phone number or BVN. A phone number in BVN records does not prove social media ownership, they explained. Multiple recovery attempts through X verification tools failed to link the account to him.
The commission referred the case to law enforcement agencies. Officials plan to pursue arrests and prosecution under the Cybercrimes Act. Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan reaffirmed that he uses only verified INEC channels for official communication.
