Critics of President Goodluck Jonathan’s
administration need to be examined by
Psychiatrists, the Senior Special Assistant on
Public Affairs to the President, Dr. Doyin
Okupe, said on Tuesday.
The presidential aide was reacting to a
statement credited to former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar, in which he raised the alarm
over the activities of the members of the
violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in the
North-East.
Atiku had blamed the worsening insecurity
problem on leadership deficit in the country.
But Okupe, in a strong rebuttal, said such
statements were not expected from a person
of Atiku’s standing especially as he had
been part of the system.
He said, “Those people saying that this
government is clueless need psychiatric test.
From now on, anybody who says this
government is clueless should be referred to
a psychiatrist.
“It is obvious that people are also trying to
make mileage of insurgency. On Monday, a
very notable member of the Nigerian
leadership institution, in particular Alhaji
Abubakar Atiku, took a swipe at the Federal
Government and at the President.
“You know, it’s difficult to comment publicly
about people who have held very important
and highly dignified position in our polity, but
when people go to the extent of trying to
make political gains out of national tragedy,
it is difficult not to say something because
this is part of the misinformation which the
Nigerian public has been subjected to.
“Atiku said that we have problems with
leadership, both political leadership and
military leadership. For a former Vice
President, I believe the comments passed by
Atiku Abubakar, I don’t want to use the word
‘irresponsible’, but I will say it is a little bit
out of place.
“It is not something you expect from an elder
statesman, somebody who has been in the
system and who understands how
government works”.
Okupe, who expressed anger at the former
VP’s statement, pointed out that it was
wrong on many levels to speak ill of the
armed forces by someone who is aspiring to
become president because he would
command the same military if elected.
He alleged that it was statements from
people like Atiku in the build-up to 2011
presidential elections that emboldened the
insurgents to take up arms against the
state.
“I remember very well that before the 2011
elections, it was the people like Atiku
Abubakar who said that those who make
peaceful change impossible make violent
change inevitable.
“That was his statement and that was what
poured out some of these young people who
have been brainwashed to take up armed
against their state”, he said.
Okupe insisted that the Jonathan
administration was doing everything possible
to contain insurgency, adding that there was
hardly any country not currently battling with
insurgency.
He added that insurgency remained the
problem facing the country and that
government had been battling it and would
overcome it, especially with the calibre of
people serving in the government.
He also added that the present government
remained the best since independence in
1960.
He said, “We have capable people who have
made name running this economy; people
like (Minister of Industry, Trade and
Investment, Olusegun) Aganga; (Minster of
Finance, Ngozi) Okonjo-Iweala and others
and people are saying this government is
clueless.
“How can these capable people be running an
economy where the government is clueless.
Is this possible?
“But I want to say here that Jonathan
administration is the most successful since
1960”.
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