A POST circulating on social media claims that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, was filmed welcoming president Bola Tinubu at the airport.
The post, shared by a verified X user @arinzecajet001, features a video clip showing president Tinubu arriving on the tarmac, greeting officials, and shaking hands with an individual wearing a cap and traditional attire.
The caption reads:
“This is the supposed an independent man, like chairman independent national electoral commission Professor Amupitan, so tomorrow now you expect him to be independent?”
As of 30 September 2026, the post has accumulated over 64,000 views, 200 likes, and over 200 retweets, sparking reactions and speculation among online users regarding the neutrality of the electoral body.
The claim also surfaced here.
READ: INEC’s claim on ‘impossible timestamp’ in Amupitan’s X account controversy is false
CLAIM
Post claims that the video shows INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, receiving president Bola Tinubu at the airport.
FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.
A detailed review of the video’s audio and visual evidence reveals that the individual receiving Tinubu is Ibrahim Masari, special adviser to the president on political affairs, not Amupitan.
In the audio accompanying the video clip, Tinubu can be clearly heard addressing the official directly by name, saying “Ibrahim Masari,” as he shakes his hand on the reception line.
On 29 September 2026, Tinubu returned to Nigeria following a four-week working leave. His aircraft landed at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where government officials and dignitaries gathered to receive him.
READ ALSO: Old footage falsely shared as Tinubu returns from annual leave
While both officials have the same rounded facial structure, a physical comparison by The FactCheckHub confirms that the person circled in the footage is Masari, a presidential aide appointed to handle political affairs, and not the electoral commission boss.
VERDICT
The claim that the video shows INEC chairman Prof Joash Amupitan welcoming Tinubu is FALSE. The person in the video is Ibrahim Masari, special adviser to the president on political affairs, and not Amupitan.
Seasoned writer and literary curator, Zainab Abdulrasaq is a factchecker for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached on IG @blackbookishgirl or zabdulrasaq@icirnigeria.org
, Joash Amupitan, was filmed welcoming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the airport. ){kind=link}