Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Foundation for Digital Justice, a non-profit organisation, has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for refusing to disclose details of the forensic cybersecurity expert hired to investigate an X account allegedly linked to the commission’s chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan. The suit, marked FHC/LAG/CS/890/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The controversy began in April 2026 when social media users circulated screenshots alleging that Amupitan operated an X account (@joashamupitan) and made a partisan comment, “Victory is sure”, in response to a post by Dayo Israel, the national youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The claim was amplified by screenshots showing emails, phone numbers, OPay details and a Bank Verification Number (BVN), presented as proof of ownership.
INEC swiftly commissioned an independent forensic cybersecurity expert to investigate. On April 20, the commission announced that the probe had concluded that the account was fake and all posts attributed to Amupitan were “forensically unverifiable” — a clear case of digital impersonation.
However, on April 21, the Foundation for Digital Justice wrote a Freedom of Information (FOI) letter to INEC, demanding a certified true copy of the full forensic report, the name and professional profile of the expert or firm engaged, the letter of engagement, the scope of work, and the total amount paid for the services. INEC failed to respond within the statutory seven‑day period.
“The respondent’s refusal to furnish the applicant with the requested information amounts to a gross violation of Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and indeed Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution,” part of the court documents read. “The information sought by the applicant is not exempted from disclosure under any provision of the FOI Act, and the respondent has no reason whatsoever to decline the applicant’s request.”
The foundation is asking the court to declare INEC’s inaction as wrongful and unconstitutional, and to compel the commission to release the requested documents. The suit has been assigned to Justice Akintayo Aluko. INEC has not yet issued a public response to the lawsuit as of the time of this report.
The case has revived the debate over the accountability of INEC’s internal processes, as the commission prepares for the 2027 general elections. Critics have questioned why the name of the forensic expert and the terms of reference for such a politically sensitive investigation should remain secret. The foundation argues that transparency in such matters is essential for public trust in the electoral body.
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