INEC fires back at reports of being ‘remote controlled’ by Presidency

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared the air over allegations that it copied a press statement from Dada Olusegun, the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media.

Reports had emerged on Sunday claiming that the electoral umpire’s rebuttal—addressing allegations of partisanship against its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN)—was identical to a post made by the presidential aide hours earlier.

Social media users, including popular activists, had slammed the Commission, suggesting that the electoral body was being “coordinated” by the Presidency.

However, in a swift reaction on Sunday, INEC described the reports as “fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.”

The Commission explained that the statement, originally signed by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, on April 10, 2026, was an official document meant to debunk claims that Prof. Amupitan maintained a partisan X account.

INEC maintained that it did not lift the content from any third party, adding that any circulation of the document before it appeared on its official handles was not coordinated by the Commission.

The statement read in part: “The publication by Peoples Gazette is 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.”

Reaffirming its independence ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Commission added, “The Commission remains strictly non-partisan and urges the public to disregard misleading interpretations of its actions.”

The development comes at a time of heightened political tension, following INEC’s recent derecognition of the ADC leadership, a move that has seen opposition figures calling for the Chairman’s resignation.