INEC Chairman reacts to controversial pro-Tinubu X account
- INEC chairman Joash Amupitan said he never owned or ran an X account that allegedly expressed support for the APC during the 2023 elections
- Amupitan said the matter was reported to the DSS and the Inspector-General of police, and that an independent report had been obtained
- The INEC chairman spoke at a Chatham House dialogue in London focused on Nigeria's 2027 elections and democratic stability
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Joash Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has categorically denied any connection to an X account that was alleged to have shown support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general election.
Amupitan made the denial on Thursday at Chatham House in London during a dialogue organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, themed "Nigeria's 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot".
Source: Twitter
The allegation against INEC's chairman
The controversy centred on an X account bearing the handle @joashamupitan, which allegedly replied to a post by Dayo Israel, the APC national youth leader, celebrating the party's victory in a predominantly Igbo community in Lagos. The account reportedly used the words "Victory is sure" in response. Critics argued the account belonged to the electoral chief and demonstrated partisan sympathy.
INEC had previously dismissed the claims, describing them as fabricated and designed to damage the credibility of its chairman and the commission. Senate President Godswill Akpabio also weighed in, defending Amupitan at the inauguration of the National Revenue Service corporate headquarters in Abuja. Akpabio argued that the phrase "Victory is sure" did not explicitly signal support for any political party.
Amupitan: DSS and police were briefed
When asked whether an independent inquiry had cleared him, Amupitan said: "We have an independent report, and the matter was also reported to the DSS as well as to the IG."
He added that he had no X account at all, and that his efforts to reach out to the social media platform to address the matter were unsuccessful because he was not registered as a user. Several civil society organisations also indicated they wanted to look into the allegation, he noted.
Amupitan linked the emergence of the controversy to a court ruling involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the interpretation of a status quo ante bellum order, suggesting the allegations were timed to weaken public trust in INEC by discrediting its chairman.
He also denied two separate claims that had previously circulated against him: that he once served on President Bola Tinubu's legal team, and that he had misrepresented his educational qualifications. According to Amupitan, investigations by both the DSS and the police found no basis for either allegation.
Despite the controversies, the INEC chairman said he remained confident about the commission's readiness for the 2027 general election, adding that the exercise would be one Nigerians would be proud of.
See the video of his interview on X here:
INEC chairman rules out accepting political appointment after tenure
Legit.ng earlier reported that INEC chairman Joash Amupitan made a public pledge about his plans after leaving office during a panel in London.
Amupitan spoke at a Chatham House event focused on Nigeria's 2027 elections and democratic stability in the region.
His comments came as a direct response to questions about his predecessor Mahmood Yakubu's post-tenure ambassadorial appointment.
Source: Legit.ng
