A former Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyangeyen, has accused MTN Nigeria of conspiring to undermine members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. Inyangeyen, who defected from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the APC in February 2024, claims that MTN secretly programmed the mobile phones of ex-YPP members, now in the APC, to play YPP-associated ringtones without their knowledge or consent.
In a Facebook post, Inyangeyen expressed his grievances, stating that MTN’s actions were a disgrace. The allegation has sparked widespread debate on social media, with some calling for an investigation and others questioning the technical feasibility of remotely imposing ringtones.
The post read thus:
Everything negative is possible in Nigeria. MTN has collaborated with some unscrupulous elements to blackmail us in APC in Akwa Ibom state who were formally in YPP and left the platform to join APC in February 2024.
Just recently MTN programmed all our phones to have YPP ring tone without possibility of changing it and all MTN staff are claiming ignorance. MTN this is a shame of an organization and we are sure that you people will not do this nonsense in South Africa. It is a shame to patronize your network. Shame. We are in APC and your efforts have failed woefully. You will loose many customers very soon. MTN. Shame
MTN Nigeria has not issued an official statement in response to the allegations, fueling speculation and public discourse. The controversy has raised broader questions about the influence of telecommunications companies in political affairs and their responsibilities towards users. The situation remains unresolved, with observers awaiting MTN’s response and potential investigations.
