So confident is he of this that during a courtesy visit to THISDAY corporate offices in Lagos yesterday, he put his father's name on the line.
"If they don't crumble and disappear by 2014, don't call me Okupe," he bragged.
Okupe's visit to THISDAY seemed to have been a public relations stunt that was carefully arranged either when the journalists went to lunch, or after Okupe had gagged them, because no professional asked him any questions following what seemed like a one-sided lecture.
The self-described "attack lion" of President Goodluck Jonathan dismissed the view that the merger would rout the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the next election, calling the forces behind it unserious people that are incapable of causing a major upset in national politics.
"Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Maj-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari are not serious-minded people; they are going round like people dancing in a market place," he said, defiantly. "I expect that when you post an aggregate of people of that calibre who want to run government, by now they must have a policy statement on power, agriculture and employment and not just talking about PDP leaving.
"Is it by mouth that they will run the nation? These are not serious-minded people. Can someone get your vote by using word of mouth that PDP should leave without a policy?"
Okupe was hinging his political prediction on the projection that the president's joker, which is stable electricity, is attained by 2014, the opposition would be punctured and rendered ineffective.
Specifically dismissing Tinubu, he held that the ACN chieftain has ridden roughshod over the South-west, but that Nigeria is bigger than that.
"This is their first time out in national politics; alright, and let me give you some bad news: the relevance that ACN has in Nigerian politics is that they are a Yoruba party. That is what makes them relevant in politics and by dropping that toga, the party is dead.
"They have just formed an abyss; a formless abyss that the Yoruba cannot key into. The Yoruba have always been members of a regional organisation – Action Group (AG), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), etc. And in any case, what are the electoral credentials of ACN? How many states have they won that they are boasting?"
In a frontal assault that suggested that the PDP is wary of the possibilities open to the opposition, Okupe described the APC as a party that is consistently unable to produce a presidential candidate from within its rank and file, saying that for the 2015 election, they are planning to recruit the Speaer of the House, Tambuwal.
"What kind of political party is that and you are taking them seriously. It is a politically defective and weak organisation, and by coming to the national stage, the wind is going to blow them open. If they don't crumble and disappear by 2014, don't call me Okupe," he said. And
With reference to the power reform
programme, he said that the problem with the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) was the amount of money that was designated for it, stating that the money was not the type entrepreneurs in the country could aggregate.
"When Jonathan came, five major problems bedevilled the power sector," he said. "One, there was low generation capacity. Two, was that the NIPPs, which required so much money, were abandoned. Three, even if they were working, they were located in places that were impossible for gas availability. Four, there was very poor transmission capacity and five, the indecisiveness involved in the privatisation exercise.
He said that within two years, the Jonathan administration solved four of those five problems. "The NIPPs – all of them are about 95 per cent complete and there is enough monitoring to ensure that this is done."
He pointed out the outstanding challenge was transmission capacity which is currently being addressed by the federal government.
Okupe, who also sought partnership with the media, admitted that the Jonathan administration needed help to survive.
"That is the truth. I am not hiding it. There is no government that has been more assaulted in this country. I have come to see if we can build a platform to help the country and this government. I am not saying that you should compromise your positions; I am just saying that you should give us the chance to clarify anything that you need to clarify."
Okupe did not say anything about the corruption by which the PDP has grounded the country, and of which most of the key officials of both the government and the party are known to be guilty, or how they intend to persuade Nigerians in 2015 to allow them to continue.
(SaharaReporters)
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
okupe you and your OGA GEJ una foolish oo.
ReplyDeleteNigeria politics. My people from the west shine your eyes
ReplyDeleteOkupe! How people can make cheap talk!! When Muhammadu Buhari was military head of state, he at least put corruption and corrupt officials on the run; and when he was the PTF chief executive, it is undeniable that many erstwhile unconnected areas suddenly had roads, some of which are still the best in states where PDP has reigned for nearly 14 years. And when Ahmed Bola Tinubu was in charge in Lagos, it is no news that he laid the foundation for a new-look Lagos, a foundation upon which Fashola has neatly laid brick after brick until Lagos has become the star that it should always have been. I think Okupe is just a renegade loudmoth whose bread is steadily being buttered by the people whose eulogies he sings. As for his prophesy, I have never heard a more unpatriotic remark.
ReplyDelete"Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari are not serious-minded people; they are going round like people dancing in a market place,” - Doyin Okupe. .............. Is it a must for this mad man to talk? When Lai Mohammed talks, they'll say he has no respect for Mr President but here is mad sounding Doyin Okupe referring to Gen. Buhari and Bola Tinubu as unserious! These men are not his oga's mate in pedigree and reasoning and if their dancing is interesting, we will join them. :D
ReplyDeleteI know what to call you: Omo ale!
ReplyDeleteU lost dat name since the day u steal Benue pple their money. Refund the money and explain why u hv 2 steal it then apologies to the pple.
ReplyDeleteThe finger that feeds one, shall not be compromised...Bird of the same feathers
ReplyDelete