The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distanced itself from a press release circulated on Friday, 11 November, that it is going to investigate Bola Tinubu for violating the 2022 Electoral Act.
The fake press statement made reference to a drug trafficking verdict in the United States against Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
Responding to the fake press statement, INEC said, “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 an 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 through our website and official social media handles.
“The public is advised to ignore the press release,” the electoral commission said.