The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims linking its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, to a partisan post circulating on social media, describing the development as a calculated smear campaign.

In a statement issued on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, the Commission maintained that the Chairman does not operate any personal account on X (formerly Twitter).

INEC said the viral post suggesting that Amupitan endorsed a political party was entirely false and fabricated by mischief-makers seeking to undermine the Commission’s credibility.

The statement stressed that the INEC boss “has never engaged in partisan commentary nor aligned himself with any political interest,” either in his private or official capacity.

According to the Commission, the circulation of the fake post is part of a broader attempt to tarnish the integrity and impartiality of its leadership at a critical period of electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls.

INEC further disclosed that cybercriminals have continued to create fake social media accounts in the Chairman’s name to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians.

It noted that several of such fraudulent accounts had been identified and reported to security agencies, describing the latest incident as a continuation of that trend.

The electoral body warned that it would not tolerate attempts to damage its reputation, adding that efforts are underway in collaboration with security and cyber-intelligence agencies to apprehend those responsible.

INEC also cautioned that perpetrators of such acts would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The Commission urged Nigerians to disregard the misinformation and rely only on its verified official channels for authentic updates on the activities of its Chairman and the Commission.