The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims linking its chairman to alleged partisan social media posts, describing the issue as a case of digital impersonation targeting the institution.
INEC’s ICT Director, Lawrence Bayode, said the commission does not recognise any such account, stressing that the chairman does not operate a personal X (formerly Twitter) account.
“Based on the official statement issued by the Commission sometime last week, the Chairman does not maintain any personal X account. Therefore, any content being attributed to such an account is not recognised by the Commission as originating from it,” he said.
Bayode warned that the situation reflects a broader threat posed by misinformation and impersonation targeting public institutions.
“For me, this is not about an individual. This is about how digital impersonation and misinformation can target public institutions,” he added.
He also emphasised the need for vigilance in verifying information in a democratic system.
“Our duty is to protect truth, verify facts, and ensure Nigerians are not misled. Why? Because in a democracy, trust must be earned,” he said
The controversy stems from a resurfaced 2023 social media post allegedly linked to an account bearing the chairman’s name, which critics claimed showed partisan alignment.
INEC, however, rejected the claims, with its spokesperson describing them as “false, baseless and misleading,” and warning that the viral content is part of a coordinated misinformation campaign.
