NNPC Disclaims And Deletes “Tinubu Will Run With A Muslim VP’ Tweet; Says Account Was Hacked

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has raised alarm over the hacking of its official Twitter account which was subsequently used to send an inappropriate message on June 8, 2022, apparently to hit up the polity.

The Twitter handle of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) had on Wednesday shared a tweet on the proposed running mate for Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Responding to the Twitter user, the NNPC official handle had posted: “He will run with a Muslim VP.”

The tweet, which seems to have been made in error, already had more than 90 retweets.

The handler might have forgotten to switch handles.

The post has, however, been deleted.

Shortly after the incident, the NNPC posted a disclaimer via the same Twitter account, saying it was “compromised”.

This public notice by the state-owned oil firm might not be unconnected to a tweet post on the NNPC’s official Twitter account stating that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will have a Muslim as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, not minding that he is also a Muslim.

This disclosure is contained in a public notice by NNPC and signed by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Garba Deen Muhammad, on June 8, 2022, and can be seen on its official Twitter account.

Muhammad, who reassured the general public that it remains committed to always doing business in the most ethical manner, noted that the breach has been successfully addressed and its Twitter handle successfully recovered.

Meanwhile, in a statement through his social media team, Tinubu had earlier denied endorsing a Muslim running mate.

He said a viral text message sent to delegates at the Eagle Square during the just-concluded presidential primary, alleging that he has decided on a Muslim-Muslim, ticket was false.

“We have been informed of a text message going around APC delegates at Eagles Square in Abuja purportedly from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu claiming that with his imminent victory at the APC presidential primary and emergence as the party’s presidential candidate, the APC leader has now decided on a Muslim-Muslim ticket,” the statement reads.

“This is nothing but a lie. It has no basis whatsoever.”