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, if an alleged X account linked to him turns out to be his after his denial.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adebayo said the controversy goes beyond technical arguments and touches on public trust in the electoral umpire.
“If it is traced to him and he denies it, then it raises questions about integrity,” he said.
He explained that while digital content can be manipulated, modern forensic tools make it possible to determine the true ownership of online accounts.
“It is well known that in the digital space, you could manipulate anything, but there is forensic tracing of identity,” Adebayo stated.
According to him, the issue can be resolved either through the courts or a legislative inquiry by the National Assembly.
“It is either someone will go to court to challenge his qualification on grounds of partisanship and present evidence or the National Assembly will conduct an investigation, possibly through its INEC committees,” he added.
The former presidential candidate, however, clarified that even if the account is proven to belong to Amupitan, it does not automatically disqualify him from office under the law.
“The requirement is that at the time of appointment, you should not be a member of any political party. It does not mean you could not have been a member in the past or that you did not vote. Someone who voted in 2023 can still become INEC chairman in 2025,” he said.
Adebayo stressed that the key issue remains honesty and public confidence in the electoral body.
“In a simple matter like this, if you are already lying to the public and we are to trust you with determining election outcomes, then it becomes a question of integrity,” he added.
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