Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has questioned the political loyalty of a former presidential candidate who defected to another party despite receiving massive electoral support in 2023.
NOP NIGERIA reports that Akpabio spoke on Tuesday during the commissioning of a new Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) building.
Criticising the politician, Akpabio said he abandoned a party and six million votes to shop for a new party, stressing that such actions undermine party structures and political stability.
He said, “Somebody will go and get up to six million votes in the last presidential election through a political party and yet abandon that party and the six million votes to start shopping for a new party that he will go and start building up.
“I’m not talking about Soludo. I’m talking about somebody around his area.”
The comment is widely interpreted as referring to Peter Obi, who polled over six million votes in the 2023 presidential election.
During the election, Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, contested on the Labour Party platform but is currently seeking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket.
Meanwhile, Akpabio has defended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, amid controversy surrounding an alleged social media post attributed to him.
Akpabio said the comment was being misunderstood and should be viewed in the proper context.
The Senate President noted that the alleged post was made before Amupitan became the chairman of the electoral body.
According to him, individuals are free to support political parties before taking up public office.
