Social Media Buzz: Tenebe Rejects Viral INEC Jacket Photo, Points Finger At AI

The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has dismissed as false a viral image circulating online that purportedly shows him wearing an accredited jacket issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The photograph, which has gained traction on social media, allegedly depicts Tenebe in an INEC observer jacket during the recent Ekiti State governorship election.

Speaking during an interview on AIT on Tuesday, Tenebe described the image as a product of artificial intelligence (AI), insisting that it was digitally manipulated and did not reflect reality.

He explained that his presence in Ekiti was linked to activities of the forum of APC state chairmen, who had agreed to support one another during off-cycle elections across the country, rather than any election-monitoring role.

According to him, APC state chairmen routinely mobilise support for colleagues conducting elections in their respective states, noting that his visit had been wrongly interpreted online.

“What was circulated on the internet is an AI-generated image. Some members of the opposition are known for creating such content. I was in Ekiti to support my colleague as part of our collective arrangement, not to monitor the election,” he said.

Tenebe further maintained that he had never been accredited by INEC as an election observer and had never held any form of observer status with the commission.

“I was never accredited by INEC, and I have never been accredited before. The image is clearly AI-generated. Unfortunately, this technology is increasingly being used to spread misinformation, and it could pose serious challenges in the future,” he added.

Addressing the source of the image, Tenebe claimed he first came across it on the social media page of former lawmaker Dino Melaye, whom he accused of promoting misleading narratives for political purposes.

“The first place I saw the image was on Dino Melaye’s handle. He is known for creating political drama, so I was not surprised,” he stated.

The Ekiti governorship election was conducted on June 20, 2026, as part of Nigeria’s off-cycle gubernatorial polls organised by INEC. Following the collation of results, the electoral body declared incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the APC as the winner of the election.