Jonathan must sack Okupe – ACN insists

Date: 15-08-2012 11:04 am (11 years ago) | Author: Omogbolahan Babs
- at 15-08-2012 11:04 AM (11 years ago)
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The Action Congress of Nigeria on Wednesday morning restated its call on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, for alleged criminal conversion of state funds.

The party had made the call on Monday, asking Jonathan to take cognisance of the fact that Okupe was allegedly being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for failing to execute a contract for the Benue State Government.

It had also asked Jonathan to hand Okupe over to EFCC for prosecution and apologise to Nigerians for appointing him in the first place.

However, Okupe had dismissed the call in a statement on Tuesday.

But the party restated the call on Wednesday in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The party described as “false and deliberately misleading” a statement credited to EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaaren, that Okupe was not under investigation.

“It is on record that Dr. Doyin Okupe was in the custody of the EFCC in Lagos for almost one month between July and August 2006, on account of a contract he obtained this time from Imo State but which he failed to execute after collecting a hefty mobilisation fee,” the statement said.

The party, therefore, warned the EFCC and other relevant agencies against obliterating the records “in order to give Dr. Doyin Okupe a clean bill of health in relation to these allegations.”

“The party reiterates its earlier position that retaining Dr Doyin Okupe as the administration’s spokesman on Public Affairs is not just an insult to the collective integrity of all Nigerians but also flies in the face of the administration’s flaunted commitment to fighting corruption.

“It reminds the Presidency that the President’s spokesman is the face not only of the President but of Nigeria as a whole and that responsibility cannot rest on the shoulders of a person morally damaged.

“Nigeria is definitely not in want of qualified individuals with talent and credentials for the position of a Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs and retaining Dr. Doyin Okupe in this position in the face of incontrovertible evidence as to his unsuitability will only give credence to the widely held belief that this administration is a haven for persons with criminal pasts,” the ACN added.


Posted: at 15-08-2012 11:04 AM (11 years ago) | Gistmaniac
- Idbabe at 15-08-2012 12:32 PM (11 years ago)
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Ok
Posted: at 15-08-2012 12:32 PM (11 years ago) | Hero
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