'VICTORY IS SURE, TWEET NOT PARTISAN', AKPABIO DEFENDS AMUPITAN

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has supported Joash Amupitan, who is the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after some people online accused him of showing bias towards a political party.

Recently, there were online messages saying that Amupitan had a personal account on X and had liked or shared a post that supported a particular political group.

Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of the corporate headquarters of the National Revenue Service (NRS) in Abuja, Akpabio refuted claims that the tweet suggested political alignment, describing the statement as neutral.

“They brought out a tweet where they said 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,” Akpabio said.

He said the post in question was made before Amupitan assumed office as INEC chairman, when he was still a lecturer.

“And the man said that it’s manipulated. Nobody wants to hear. But for me, whether it is manipulated or not, he said ‘victory is sure’,” Akpabio said.

”He was not chairman of INEC. He was just a mere lecturer. Anybody can support anybody who he wishes to.”

The senate president, however, said there is the need for impartiality once in public office.“But when you are on a seat, you have to think of the entire country and all the populace. And that’s what they are doing,” he said.

The controversy stemmed from a 2023 post originally shared by Dayo Israel, APC national youth leader, which resurfaced online.

Critics linked it to an account allegedly associated with Amupitan that replied with the phrase “Victory is sure”.

INEC has repeatedly rejected the claims, describing them as false and part of a coordinated misinformation campaign.