Some Nigerians have taken Dr. Doyin Okupe to tatters for disparaging the anti-corruption crusade of the All Progressives Congress-led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Okupe, a one-time Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday, reacting to the tweet of Femi Fani-Kayode, doubted the sincerity and seriousness of Buhari in fighting corruption.
“Add that to Babachirgate, Barugate (Part 1), Osbornegate, Alpha-Beta Gate and so many other gates.”
“Do you still believe that Buhari is Mr. Clean and that APC is a party of angels?” he queried.
Earlier, Femi Fani-Kayode, the then Minister of Aviation, Thursday, had in his Twitter account, wrote “Vice President Yemi Osibanjo indicted for stealing 5.8 billion naira.
“National Chairman of APC Adams Oshiomole indicted for receiving 55 million U.S. dollars in bribes.
“Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano indicted for receiving millions of U.S. dollars in bribes.
“Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Maihaja, indicted for stealing 33 billion naira.
“Director General of National Broadcasting Commission, Ishaq Kawu, indicted for stealing 2.5 billion naira.
“Group Managing Director of NNPC, Makanti Baru, indicted for stealing 7.2 billion U.S. dollars.”
Is Doyin Okupe Corrupt-Free?
The reactions of Nigerians may not be unconnected with the fact that Economic and Financial Cimes and Commission (EFCC) had in 2012 investigated Okupe over allegations bordering on corrupt cases.
In 2005, during the tenure of Governor Achike Udenwa, Okupe was said to have gone to Imo state with a business partner, the Israeli businessman, Ilan Salman. Okupe got a contract to import Romix Soil fix, a soil stabilising substance, from South Africa for the construction of four kilometres of road in each of the 27 local government areas at the rate of N14 million per km.
This amounted to a whooping sum of N1.512 billion. Okupe was paid mobilization fee of N400 million twice.
He was then paid another N350 million for the little work done, with just about 8km out of the 108km Romix promised to construct.
This means that Okupe was paid over N1.2 billion, with very little to show for it.
The then presidential spokesman was alleged to have collaborated with Chief Godfrey Dikeocha, the former Speaker of the Imo State Assembly, to defraud the state.
In its the anti-graft agency intensified effort t to un-ravel the mystery behind daylight fraud, Okupe’s engineers were arrested in Owerri alongside the local government chairmen and moved to Ikoyi, Lagos.
His head office, which was at that time on Isale Eko Street in Dolphin Estate, was sealed up and Chief Okupe locked up for one month by the EFCC, but he was never tried.
The situation was the same in Benue State through one of his company, Messrs Value Trust Investments Ltd., Okupe secured a contract valued at N2.303 billion, again for the construction of rural roads across the state and was paid N886.8 million in July 17,2006 .
Nigerians React
Okupe’s query drew the ire of some Nigerians, thus setting the Twitter ablaze with incendiary remarks.
Reacting, Femi Ogunshola wrote “If you get 1 quarter of Osinbajo’s integrity that shows your own don better. The man that failed to execute Benue contract that was given to him but collected all the money is talking about our integrity personified VP.”
Abu Otene tweeted “That Doyin okupke has joined in this kind of irresponsible cheap blackmail is very unfortunate. Anyway, as a bastard, he can do anything dishonest and dishonorable, after all to whom do you report his anti social vices?”
Albert Esiri Williams counselled “Keep piling them and one day a chapter will be open and they shall all accounts for their stewardship while in office. Whosoever wants to commit suicide now to avert justice is free to do so now.”
Akparawa Wilson Patrick warned “They want to loot Nigeria to the end and I promise them, they will never see the end of Nigeria and Nigerian.”
Gregory Mmaduakolam differed “Please, stop calling Fani and Okupe,s names in these allegations. It was the House Committee on Emergency that bought the N5.8 billion saga and the onus is for the people concerned to defend themselves, so you people should not do it for them. Period.
TG John John Okupke the criminal and serial liar. It was claimed that Osibanjo did not follow due process in withdrawing the money but it is confirmed the money was used for the purpose it was collected for. Why are you tagging it stealing? I pity you because your downfall is still learning press up
Abdussalam Mutiu Kayode observed “People’s brain has been looted in this country. There is poverty of d brain in this country. Buharists comments make me feel people are their own worst enemies Too bad.”
Adeyemi Jude Adeniyi concluded “Ffk, doyin okupe talks as if they av never loot more than them.. All of u na both apc and pdp are international thief thief … Well u don’t need to repent for the judgements of God hang on u all for subjecting many lives into extremely poverty through ur looting ,incompetency and enacting wrong economic policies.”
