The ruling Peoples Democratic Party yesterday rose in defense of Dr Doyin Okupe who was recently appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan as his Senior Special Assistant (Public Affairs), saying he has not case to answer with the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In the wake of his appointment, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) had called on President Jonathan to sack, Dr. Okupe because he has a corruption case to answer with the EFCC over failure to execute contracts after collecting mobilisation fees in Imo, Benue as well as other states.
The ACN had insisted on Okupe’s culpability despite a clean bill given by the EFCC to Dr Okupe through the agencies spokesman Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who said the agency was not aware that Okupe was under investigation over such crime.
The ACN maintained that Okupe was in EFCC custody in 2006 for almost a month between July and August trying to tell the agency all he knows.
But in a staunch defense the PDP has described the allegation of ACN as baseless adding that Jonathan made a right decision in appointing Dr.
Okupe, as such he should not be distracted.
A statement by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary Hon. Binta Masi Garba read “in the last one week, we have noticed the vitriolic attacks on the person of Dr Doyin Okupe who was recently appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan as his Senior Special Assistant (Public Affairs), a position most reasonable Nigerians agree he is capable of handling effectively.
“We have noted the copious references by the ACN through its spokesman Mr. Lai Mohammed to the purported unwholesome acts in the execution of some projects in Benue and Imo States several Years ago.
“It is our considered opinion that issues of Contracts are basically civil issues between contracting parties and certainly most contract documents contain clauses for dispute resolutions.
“Moreover, the EFCC through its spokesman has said that Dr Doyin Okupe is not currently under any criminal investigation by the Commission as claimed by the ACN.
“He has neither been charged nor indicted by any Court of Law, Panel, or Committee in the Country till date. The call by the ACN for Dr Okupe’s removal is therefore not only baseless, unwarranted but equally malicious.
“We wish to make it abundantly clear that President Jonathan, under the Presidential System we currently operate is at liberty to appoint any deserving Nigerian to any position at anytime without recourse to anyone, least of all a self serving opposition group.
“The President will therefore not be blackmailed into following a destructive agenda by a group that thrives on trumped up lies and misinformation.
“We believe that the matter should be rested at this point without any further undue political exploitation or misrepresentation. It is a common saying that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones and he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“By the appointment of Dr. Okupe, the President has taken a right decision to engage members of the Public on salient issues of national importance and debates and also allow for a deepening of the Channels of communication between the Presidency and the Citizenry.
“He must therefore be allowed to discharge his duties without undue distractions.”