National conference: Okupe attacks Tinubu, accuses him of peddling falsehood
Okupe said Tinubu’s position does not represent the views of majority of Yoruba people in the South West.
Tinubu had described the national dialogue as a “Greek Gift”, diversionary and an act of public deception, which according to him was also ill-timed because of the closeness to the 2015 Elections.
In his reaction, Okupe said that Tinubu’s first reaction on arrival from overseas medical trip was not well thought out and was roundly opposed, rejected and condemned by a clear majority of Nigerian people, in particular, the authentic Yoruba leadership in the South West.
“It is therefore crystal clear and unarguable that whatever position the APC leader holds on the issue of the National Conference does not represent the views of the majority of Yoruba people in the South West.
“His (Tinubu) assertion that there is an ulterior motive behind the conference is purely conjectural and speculative, and has no foundation in any reasoning or logic. The onus is heavily on him to prove this; hence we will not dwell too much on this unjustifiable conclusion.” Okupe said yesterday at a press conference.
Okupe said President Jonathan had shown convincingly that he was a credible, reliable and capable leader by his unprecedented achievements in such a short space of time.
“He most certainly does not flip flop as the opposition politician insinuates,” Okupe said, citing election reform successes recorded by the Jonathan administration since 2011 as an example.
“It will be recalled that the very first general elections under the watch of President Jonathan was adjudged by both local and international observers, including leaders of foreign nations such as America, Britain and France, as one of the best ever in Nigerian history. This fact is further confirmed by a monumental reduction of almost 70% of litigations arising from the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
On Tinubu’s attacks on the Sure-P management, Okupe accused the APC chieftain of peddling “falsehood”.
Okupe challenged Tinubu to publish the total amount of money received by the APC states and the projects for which they were used, for Nigerians to see who was reliable and capable and who was not.
“Amazingly, Senator Bola Tinubu spoke ignorantly on the issue of the Sure-P. He ought to have been better informed rather than the shameful falsehood he tried to disseminate on the utilization of the Sure-P funds.
He further provided what he termed “verifiable facts”.
“The federal government receives 41% of the total Sure-P funds while all the states and local governments receive the remaining 59%,” Okupe stated.
On Tinubu’s statement that the management of the Amnesty Programme had been hijacked by some people and that it constituted a drain-pipe to the nation’s economy, Okupe said Tinubu was ignorant in matters relating to national affairs.
“While the Bola Tinubu’s of this world focuses only on the 2015 general elections, most patriotic ordinary Nigerians are more concerned with the emergence of a true united nation, based on equity and justice to all its component parts, devoid of schisms and rancour which has made it impossible for us to benefit from the full potential of all the God-given resources of our great nation.
“Our dear Senator Tinubu wants the Yoruba nation and indeed the people of Lagos State to believe that he is sincere in rendering public service to the state and the people, whereas he has heavily garrisoned the state political apparatus with a sizeable number of his immediate family members. Nigerians should ignore the vituperations of our so called leaders who don’t see anything good in anyone or any programme except they are either in control of it or that it is tailored to satisfy their inordinate desires and greed,” he said.
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