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Says INEC Chairman’s Post on Account Does Not Indicate Support for APC
- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has come under fire over his defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, in the ongoing controversies surrounding an old Twitter (now X) post and account linked to him.
NPO Reported that Amupitan had last week attracted public spotlight following the emergence of a Twitter account allegedly opened with his email.
The alleged change in the username of the account, which was initially opened with the INEC’s Chairman’s name, had raised suspicion.
The suspciion would escalate into full blown controversy following the discovery of an old post dated back to the 18th of March 2023 where Amupitan was alleged to have made a comment celebrating the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This had since raised questions over the integrity and non-partisanship of the INEC Chairman with intensified calls for his resignation.
Reacting to the controversies, especially the post, during his address at the commissioning of the National Revenue Service (NRS) headquarters in Abuja, Akpabio maintained that the comment attributed to the INEC Chairman never clearly indicated his support for the APC.
“They brought out a tweet where the chairman of INEC said victory is sure. But he didn’t say victory is sure for APC. He did not say victory is sure for PDP.
“He just said victory is sure. And the man said it was manipulated. Nobody wants to hear. But for me, whether manipulated or not, he said victory is sure.” The Senate President said.
Akpabio further claimed that Amupitan have not become INEC chairman as at the period the comment was made, stressing that he has the right to support anybody until his appointment.
“He was not Chairman of INEC. He was just a mere lecturer.
“Anybody can support anybody he wishes to. But when you are on a sit, you to think of all the entire country and all the populace and that’s what they are doing.” He added.
Akpabio comment had however sparked outrage from netizens with many slamming him over his support of the INEC Chairman.