INEC denies copying press statement from Tinubu’s aide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations that it copied a press statement from Dada Olusegun, a Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media, insisting that its actions were misrepresented in some media reports.

INEC described the claims as “fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts,” following online controversy over similarities between its official statement and an earlier post attributed to Olusegun.

The controversy began after INEC reposted a statement addressing claims that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, maintained a personal X account or endorsed a partisan post online. The Commission, through its Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, had on April 10, 2026, dismissed the allegations as “entirely baseless” and warned against impersonation and fake accounts being used to mislead the public.

However, reports by Peoples Gazette alleged that Olusegun had shared a similar statement hours before INEC’s publication, sparking public debate over possible coordination. The report also cited social media users who questioned the timing and similarity of the messages.

An X user identified as #Mrfestusogun was quoted as saying, “Dada Olusegun posted an INEC press statement 23 hours before INEC even posted it.”

Another user, #adeyanjudeji, also alleged that “the president’s SA on media is the one helping the INEC chairman to debunk allegations of partisanship.”

Responding, INEC maintained that it did not copy any external statement and insisted its communication was independently issued through official channels. It further clarified that any circulation outside its platforms was not coordinated with any individual or political actor.

“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,” the Commission said.

It added that it “remains strictly non-partisan” and urged the public to rely only on its verified communication channels.