ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has denied allegations that it copied a press statement from a presidential aide, describing the claims as false and misleading amid growing scrutiny of its leadership.
The commission, reacting to reports linking its statement to one earlier issued by Dada Olusegun, insisted that any similarity in content was not coordinated and did not originate from external influence.
The controversy followed INEC’s reposting of a statement debunking claims that its Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, had endorsed a partisan post on X or operated a personal account on the platform.
In the statement signed by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, on April 10, the allegations were described as “entirely baseless” and a “fabrication,” with a warning that cybercriminals were using fake accounts in the chairman’s name.
However, a report by Peoples Gazette claimed that Olusegun had published a similar statement hours before INEC’s version, sparking reactions on social media and raising concerns about the commission’s independence.
An X user, identified as #Mrfestusogun, wrote, “Dada Olusegun posted an INEC press statement 23 hours before INEC even posted it.”
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Another user, #adeyanjudeji, alleged that “the president’s SA on media is the one helping the INEC chairman to debunk allegations of partisanship.”
Responding in a statement posted on its official X handle on Sunday, INEC firmly denied copying any third-party content.
“Any circulation of the statement outside the Commission’s official channels was done independently and not coordinated by INEC,” the commission said.
It further described the report as “fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.”
“INEC’s repost of the statement was solely to amplify accurate information earlier released from the Commission and should not be misconstrued as alignment with any individual or political office holder,” it added.
Reaffirming its neutrality, the commission stated, “The Commission remains strictly non-partisan and urges the public to disregard misleading interpretations of its actions.”
INEC also advised Nigerians to rely only on its verified channels for accurate information.
The development comes amid heightened public scrutiny of the commission’s activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially following recent controversies, including the derecognition of leadership within the African Democratic Congress, which drew criticism from opposition figures and calls for the resignation of Amupitan.