You’re Being Mischievous For Making Issues Out Of My Association With Peter Obi – Okupe Replies Momodu

The Director-General of the Labour Party’s presidential campaign in the 2023 election, Doyin Okupe, has replied a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, over claims that he has been politically inconsistent over the years.

Recall that Momodu had accused the former presidential spokesman of defending Nigerian governments since 1999, irrespective of their policies.

However, Reacting to Momodu’s claims via a social media post on Saturday, Okupe advised the PDP chieftain to speak with facts and not mere sentiments.

He insisted that it was false to claim that he has been praising all the governments in power since 1999.

Okupe argued that Momodu’s fuss about his association with Bukola Saraki, Peter Obi, and then his support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies was nothing but mischief.

He wrote, “I am surprised you also did not stay with the facts.

“You retorted that I have advised and praised every govt since 1999. That is not true. I only acted as an adviser in the Obj’s administration, which remains one of the most successful since the advent of the 4th Republic.

“I did not play any significant role in the Yaradua’s administration that succeeded Obj’s. I became an adviser for the second time in the Jonathan administration which was defeated by the Gen Buhari-led APC. Jonathan’s defeat was not because of any societal hardship or economic issues.

“Jonathan’s administration led Nigeria to an economically prosperous Nation, taking our GDP to $500B, and an unprecedented number 1 position in Africa. Why Jonathan was “defeated” is another matter entirely which may not be known to u because of your remoteness to the inner core of political power play at that time. This will be a topic for another day.

“My associations with Bukola Saraki and Peter Obi are in no way different from your current association with HE Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. All three were presidential aspirants or candidates of different parties at different times.

“Making any issues out of this is nothing but crass mischief. I am neither a member of the APC nor an adviser to the administration.

“I appreciate the bold initiatives President Bola Tinubu took to remove fuel subsidy, which was assented to by ALL candidates during the campaign. I also fully support the sectoral equalisation of our forex market.

“Both reforms are responsible for the hardship our people are currently experiencing, but which I believe will be temporary judging by the strenuous efforts the govt is making towards ameliorating them.

“This is not praise singing. I do not count myself as a member of the opposition, hence, I am able to be objective and understandingly supportive. I may not have had a hand in installing this govt but it is my country and I am a stakeholder in it. I do not pray for it to crash or go down.

“This cannot be an offence. We all are practitioners, players and known actors in this Amphitheater, no need to go personal.”