The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has raised concerns over the integrity of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, following controversy surrounding an alleged X (formerly Twitter) account linked to him.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adebayo said the issue goes beyond technical debates and touches on public trust in the electoral system. He noted that if the account is eventually traced to Amupitan and he denies ownership, it would raise serious questions about credibility and integrity.
Adebayo acknowledged that digital manipulation is possible but stressed that forensic tools can determine the true ownership of online accounts. He suggested that the matter could be resolved through legal action or a legislative probe by the National Assembly, particularly through its committees overseeing INEC.
However, he clarified that even if the account is proven to belong to the INEC chairman, it does not automatically disqualify him from office, as the law only requires that appointees are not active members of political parties at the time of their appointment.
Responding to the controversy, INEC dismissed claims linking its chairman to the account, stating that there is no verified forensic evidence to support the allegation.
INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, made this known during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He explained that the commission is relying on credible evidence and has engaged both security agencies and independent forensic experts to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Bayode cautioned against relying on artificial intelligence outputs without proper verification, noting that AI systems, including Grok, can produce inaccurate or misleading information.
“Grok can hallucinate just like any modern artificial intelligence system,” he said, emphasising the need for careful validation of digital claims before drawing conclusions.
He also pointed out that social media accounts can be created or compromised using another person’s credentials, reinforcing the need for thorough investigation.
The commission reiterated its commitment to transparency and evidence-based conclusions as it continues its probe into the matter.
