AKP's Birinci deletes post about Dilek İmamoğlu, saying 'it is an area I should not have poked my nose into'

AKP member Mücahit Birinci drew backlash with a post he made on the social media platform X.

While the repercussions of the investigations into IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and the IMM continue, AKP's Birinci made a post using the expressions, "The happiest man in the world is Özgür Özel... The woman is the precious wife of Ekrem, the lady... Listen to my words."

Deleting his post following the backlash, Birinci wrote the following in another tweet:

"I did not find the X post I made stating that Ekrem İmamoğlu's wife is happy to be becoming of me, and I deleted it. It was an approach regarding the possibility of his precious wife's presidential candidacy. I made a mistake. It is an area I should not have poked my nose into. It was wrong, it was a post that exceeded its purpose. I sincerely apologize if I have upset anyone."

Many social media users also reacted to Birinci's apology post.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is also the President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB) and the CHP's presidential primary candidate, was detained on March 19 as part of the 'terrorism' and 'corruption' investigation conducted into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), and was arrested on March 23. Within the scope of the investigation conducted into the IMM on charges of "corruption," İmamoğlu was arrested on allegations of "rigging tenders, recording personal data, bribery, and establishing an organization" and was taken to Silivri Prison. Following his arrest, he was removed from his post as IMM Mayor by the decision of the Ministry of Interior.