If APC Survives One Year, Don’t Call Me Okupe, Presidential Aide Boasts

The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on Tuesday described the merger of opposition political parties on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a weak association that would crumble and disappear by 2014, one year before the next general election.

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.

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.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/if-apc-survives-one-year-don%E2%80%99t-call-me-okupe-presidential-aide-boasts

This man get mouth. He is creating fear in APC and i am sure Lai will respond approriately.
VIVA Nigeria!

Okupe is a man of words and authority, I am waiting for Lier Mohammed to respond with his usual weak grammar.

the man is simply saying the truth ,acn should have stayed alone,they were becoming a monster but by adding all these excess baggagesi dont think they can confront pdp,the merger will have problems definitely and i dont think the selfish interest of the parties and politicians in this so called apc will allow them to forge ahead.
pdp on the other hand are known to always disagree before picking a candidate but once that is done the rest is better imagined.
from the look of things i see acn losing some states in the south west.their inward penetration into the south east and south south and the north is now over.buhari cant muster enough support for this apc all he can do is incite violence.

Okupe’s visit to THISDAY seemed to have been a publicrelations 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.

Sahara reporters shame on you. Its obvious you can't just report news objectively without shamelessly exposing your dirty partisanship. Your credibility has long gone down the drain.

Okupe 1
Lai 0

VIVA Nigeria!

this guy is really brainstorming over this APC thing. Why not be mute and rejoice in your closet if you believe the merger won't last. I personally wouldn't have done anything different if I'm in his shoe, my job on the line... No way
Frustration and fear is softly killing this doctor mehn...

Why is he trying to bring APC down?

It's not up to the government to determine which party survives, it's up to the people.

Why so cranky about it, though?

Una supposed to welcome parties that are for the people and supported by the people.

Nigeria is so twisted.

It is not too difficult to know that APC will fall like a pack of cards in no short distance! Personally, I don't need a Doyin Okupe to tell me that

tomakint: It is not too difficult to know that APC will fall like a pack of cards in no short distance! Personally, I don't need a Doyin Okupe to tell me that

some people are waiting for tb joshua or adeboye to tell them that before they can believe.

inaluf: “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.

We already don't call you Okupe. Your name is "Bingo the attack dog"

"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?”

^^ There you have it. That is how the pigs that make up the killer party reason! Is it about the number of states or about performance

These people are a disgrace!

onatisi: the man is simply saying the truth ,acn should have stayed alone,they were becoming a monster but by adding all these excess baggagesi dont think they can confront pdp,the merger will have problems definitely and i dont think the selfish interest of the parties and politicians in this so called apc will allow them to forge ahead.
pdp on the other hand are known to always disagree before picking a candidate but once that is done the rest is better imagined.
from the look of things i see acn losing some states in the south west.their inward penetration into the south east and south south and the north is now over.buhari cant muster enough support for this apc all he can do is incite violence.

Onatisi, is that you sir? Wow, am so surprised ooo. Anyway, you have said it all.

The Yorubas would end up losing so much with this merger in place. Truth be told, I don't need an Okupe to tell me that APC is a JOKE! A bunch of expired crooks obsessed with power and determined to grab it at all costs.

slimghost:

Onatisi, is that you sir? Wow, am so surprised ooo. Anyway, you have said it all.

hello sir ,pls may i know u

[i]APC WOULD CRUMBLE ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING INSTANCES:-
1. IF GEN. BUHARI ISNT GIVEN THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET!
2. IF ANY OF TINUMBU'S GODSON ISNT GIVEN THE SAME TICKET!

SO! THAT ATTACK DOG KNOWS 100% THE FUTURE OF APC

omenka:

^^ There you have it. That is how the pigs that make up the killer party reason! Is it about the number of states or about performance

These people are a disgrace!

Indeed. Their philosophy begins and ends with the sharing of Nigeria's commonwealth. Don't forget that this same Okupe said, in regards to the SW not having weighty federal positions, "when people come together to share scarce resources and you have no one to fight for you, then there is a problem".

Is that the sort of jeun-jeun charlatan and intellectual cretin anyone wants to take seriously? Anyone thinking the APC will not survive is 'dense' same as Okupe because evolution cannot be denied and the APC is the next stage in the political evolution of Nigeria occasioned by how what we have had for the past 14 years is a terrible and nightmarish monopoly. Simple as that.

Even non-Nigerians are praying for the success of the APC. At this stage with the entire world watching the wanton destruction of Nigeria by the PDP, Obama, Cameron, Merkel, Hollande, Zuma et al will probably contribute funds and support underground to the APC if only to ensure Nigeria has a viable alternative to sheer indolence, impunity and crass leadership inadequacy. Okupe should go and prepare for his future banishment into the wilderness like Aondoakaa.

D man is saying the absolute truth of d matter.Apc is a childsplay.If nigeria fall into the hands of apc,9ja is as gud as finished.Apc dnt even av a plan 4 d country al they are doing is talking about pdp.Stupid pple.Tinubu plus buhari,mba,e no go work.

Emmadani: D man is saying the absolute truth of d matter.Apc is a childsplay.If nigeria fall into the hands of apc,9ja is as gud as finished.Apc dnt even av a plan 4 d country al they are doing is talking about pdp.Stupid pple.Tinubu plus buhari,mba,e no go work.

thank you ,some ppl still need a prophet to tell them all u have just said before they believe

usmsam:

We already don't call you Okupe. Your name is "Bingo the attack dog"

Attack Lion. RESPECT, pls.

We don't need you to boast on what we already know.
APC will crumble sooner than later, ACN made a mistake merging with other parties. They would have been stronger alone. I foresee ACN backing out and standing alone before June.

Still not too surprised, the supposed okupe is doing his work, at least what he's been paid for. I would have given him a sharp response but I don't want to say one thing and my Oga Alhaji Lai Muhammed will say that I'm too forward, or mo un yaju si agbalagba. Even before the creation of APC and after it, it's only in pdp that they know doyin as okupe. All well meaning Nigerians knows him to be a paid toothless dog employed to bark just to distract the neighbourhood - well maybe the not too-focussed neighbours. Sincerely, what I wish for you is to come home honourably after your appointment and still be recognised, but you seems to desist. All well and good, Nigeria in not really about APC but a change which is inevitable, and the time is NOW. Gods willing, the change will come through the APC.

If Jonathan can deliver 18 hours of constant electricity per day, he gets my vote any day any time

I cnt wait 2 watch war without end come 2015
If u r happy 2 watch it 2 clik like

I personally will not be surprised if Okupe looks for job under Tinubu and Buhari in the near future.

tomakint: It is not too difficult to know that APC will fall like a pack of cards in no short distance! Personally, I don't need a Doyin Okupe to tell me that

APC cannot stand as long as some sets of people are there in the merger talk.

Akpa ife: I cnt wait 2 watch war without end come 2015
If u r happy 2 watch it 2 clik like

200 DISLIKES

this country and all manner of rubbish, should a sensible government be more concerned about other parties or even party activities than vital issues like development,security or wealth creation?

Dee60: I will not be surprised if Okupe looks for job under Tinubu and Buhari in the near future. The man has built a reputation for flirting and for defending the indefensible!

He knows his job very well. Little wonder he easily sidelined the great Reuben Abati.

Lilimax: APC cannot stand as long as some sets of people are there in the merger talk.

You are absolutely correct.

What's Okupe's business with APC? I think he's feeling threatened but honestly, we should just ignore this "chatter-box" of a man. He's only a political appointee and not the main actor or how can a waka-pass be the focus of a nollywood movie?