Grok AI Weighs in on Alleged INEC Chairman's X Account Controversy

The controversy surrounding the ownership of an X (formerly Twitter) account allegedly belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has intensified.

Recent claims suggest that Prof. Yakubu operated a personal X account and used it to endorse or engage with partisan content. It is alleged that in 2022, before his appointment as INEC chairman, he used his handle to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's candidacy for the 2023 general elections. Some users on the platform have called for his resignation, citing concerns that his alleged past support for the ruling party could compromise his ability to conduct a free and fair election in 2027.

However, Adedayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the INEC chairman, dismissed these allegations on Friday. In a statement, Oketola described the claims as "entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors." He asserted that Prof. Yakubu does not engage in political commentary and urged the public to disregard the misinformation campaign.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the INEC Chairman does not own or operate any personal account on X. He has at no time engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity," the statement clarified.

To further challenge the assertion that the INEC chairman never owned an X handle, former presidential aide and All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Bashir Ahmad, directed an inquiry to Grok, an AI platform. Ahmad sought to know the original name of an X account, identified by its ID 1567086242164101120, when it was created.

“Hi @Grok, for sake of transparency, what the original name of the X account with ID: 1567086242164101120 was when it was created in September 2022, before it was later changed to joashamupitan in November 2025?'' Ahmad posted.

Grok responded, stating that the account with ID 1567086242164101120 was created on September 6, 2022, under the username @joashamupitan and that it holds no record of the username being changed to @joashamupitan at a later date.

“The X account ID 1567086242164101120 was created on September 6, 2022, under the username joashamupitan. There is no record of it being changed to joashamupitan in November 2025. Public reports and account tracking confirm that was its username from creation until April 10, 2026, when it was updated to Sundayvibe00 (and locked/protected) amid controversy over 2023 posts,'' Grok's response indicated.

Following Grok's clarification, Bashir Ahmad expressed his continued skepticism regarding the claim that Prof. Yakubu owned the X account in question.