Inibehe Effiong, a controversial lawyer known for online petitions and activism, has struggled to explain his ties to Mr Clement Jimbo, the victorious APC candidate for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom state following his repeated calls for the death of Nigeria’s two major political parties, the APC and the PDP, on the account that they are responsible for all the country’s woes.
Inibehe was placed on the hot seat by dismayed followers on Saturday night when he published a congratulatory message to the candidate in a Twitter thread where he described the APC faithful as “my friend, brother, and client.”
Although he excluded the candidate’s political affiliation from his message, prompting accusations of a deliberate attempt to conceal his deep ties with a member of the same party he has routinely demonized in his endless tirades, other Twitter users were quick to point out the fact, accusing the lawyer of hypocrisy and misleading his gullible followers.
Congratulations my friend, brother and client, Mr Clement Jimbo, on your now officially confirmed and declared victory as the Member-Elect representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/e4QfqsEpnG
— Inibehe Effiong (@InibeheEffiong) April 15, 2023
One of them was Gimba Kakanda, a member of the ThisDay editorial board, who responded to Inibehe’s thread with a tweet that said, “Ellu P [Labour Party] mouthpiece on Twitter, APC lawyer in real life. Why not reveal the political party of your ‘friend, brother, and client?’ This is what twerking for a mob does to you. You are forced to function in the chamber of pretences, afraid of living, and afraid of being yourself.”
Ellu P mouthpiece on Twitter, APC lawyer in real life. Why not reveal the political party of your “friend, brother and client?” This is what twerking for a mob does to you. You are forced to function in the chamber of pretenses, afraid of living, and afraid of being yourself. https://t.co/HYLfvGBUDa
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) April 15, 2023
Others echoed Gimba’s criticism, pointing to an observed pattern of online users, especially on Twitter, pretending to be ‘Obi-dient’ followers of the Labour Party and critical of the traditional parties to enjoy attention and patronage, whilst courting the traditional parties offline where their actions are hidden from the view of other ‘Obi-dients’.
In his defence, Inibehe insisted that his legal practice and partisan support are guided by ‘the justice of the case’, adding that he has represented candidates and members of different political parties in the country. But his defence was faulted by other commentators who showed evidence of his projected and exclusive disdain for the APC and PDP, with sweeping condemnation urging members of the public to shy away from both parties.
They queried his new position of basing support on an independent analysis of each case despite previously urging zombie-like support for a particular political party in all the positions up for a contest.