Digital Sleuthing and Micro-Transfers: Nigerian Public Pressure Mounts Against INEC Chairman Over Alleged Pro-APC Social Media History

Nigerians use ₦1 bank transfers to demand INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan's resignation after digital sleuths link him to a pro-APC social media account.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 13, 2026, 4:44 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Business Hallmark

The Digital Trail of @joashamupitan

A significant credibility crisis is brewing for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as citizens utilize forensic digital techniques to investigate the impartiality of its leadership. The controversy centers on the X handle @joashamupitan, which critics claim serves as evidence of a deep-seated partisan bias toward the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Following the surfacing of pro-administration tweets, the account reportedly underwent a rapid name change to @Sundayvibe00 before being deactivated, a move that digital sleuths argue is a clear admission of ownership.

Unimpeachable Data: The Verification Process

The linkage between the partisan account and the INEC Chairman was not based on mere speculation. Columnist Farooq Kperogi has detailed how users utilized the "forgot password" recovery route on X to reveal partial identifiers. These identifiers—specifically phone numbers and email addresses—matched those listed on Professor Amupitan's publicly available academic CV. Further confirmation was sought through Nigeria’s financial infrastructure; token transfers made via Opay and GTBank apps reportedly displayed the beneficiary name "Joash Ojo Amupitan," a name tied to the country's high-security Bank Verification Number (BVN) system.

The "Fattening" of Bank Accounts

In a unique and ironic form of protest, Nigerians have begun sending ₦1 and ₦10 transfers to the verified bank accounts linked to the Chairman. Rather than a gesture of support, these transfers are being used as a communication tool. Protesters are utilizing the "remarks" or "description" fields in the banking apps to deliver direct messages urging the Professor to resign. This influx of token amounts has led to a bizarre scenario where public outrage is technically increasing the Chairman's bank balances, creating what observers call a "money-making tragedy."