The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has described as “the handiwork of mischief makers and utterly fake,” a statement circulating online, and claiming that the commission has commenced investigation into a case of criminal forfeiture against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2023 election, Bola Tinubu.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement debunking the purported investigation, on Saturday, said the false statement also claimed that INEC is liaising with a court in the United States of America to determine possible violation of its guidelines or the Electoral Act 2022.
Okoye said the purported release has been trending online since yesterday Friday 11th November 2022, while advising the public to ignore the press release.
“A Press Release purported to have been issued by the Commission has been trending online since yesterday Friday 11th November 2022. It claims that the Commission has commenced investigation into a case of criminal forfeiture against one of the Presidential candidates in the forthcoming General Election and is liaising with a Court in the United States of America in pursuit of same to determine possible violation of our guidelines or the Electoral Act 2022.
“We wish to state categorically that the said Press Release did not emanate from the Commission nor is it pursuing the purported course of action. It is the handiwork of mischief makers and utterly fake.
“Press Releases from the Commission are uploaded to the INEC Press Corps platform and simultaneously disseminated through our website and official social media handles. The public is advised to ignore the Press Release,”the statement read.