The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has raised concerns about the credibility of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, following allegations linking him to a disputed X (formerly Twitter) account.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adebayo said the issue goes beyond technical disputes and could affect public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system if the account is eventually confirmed to be connected to the INEC chair, despite his denial.
He warned that such a development would raise serious integrity questions, stressing that the credibility of the electoral umpire depends heavily on public confidence.
According to him, while digital identities can sometimes be manipulated, forensic tools are available to trace ownership of online accounts. He suggested that the matter could be resolved either through the courts or a legislative investigation by the National Assembly.
Adebayo also noted that even if the account were proven to belong to Amupitan, it would not automatically disqualify him from holding office, as electoral law focuses on current political party membership at the time of appointment rather than past affiliations or voting history.
He further argued that the central concern remains transparency, saying public trust in electoral leadership could be undermined if questions of honesty are not adequately addressed.
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