Former presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe has reacted to media entrepreneur Dele Momodu’s Friday criticism of his praise for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
On Thursday, Momodu wrote a piece which he shared on social media, advising Tinubu to cut down on spending as the economy had “virtually collapsed.” Omokri reacted, saying it was false.
On Thursday night, Okupe hailed Omokri for his reaction to Momodu’s piece, saying “I am surprised at the facts u reeled out.”
In response, Momodu took on Okupe and Omokri in a Friday post on X.
Reacting to this, Okupe described Omokri’s post as a “masterpiece in terms of facts assembled.”
He added, “I am always in awe of that young man’s ability to research and succinctly put together his narratives. You may hate Reno, or be angry with him for his opinions but his facts are unassailable.
“With me also I am surprised u also did not stay with the facts.
“U retorted that I hv advised and praised every govt since 1999. That is not true. I only acted as adviser in the Obj’s administration , which remains one of the most successful since the advent of the 4th Republic.
“I did not play any significant role in the Yaradua’s administration that succeeded Obj’s.
“I became an adviser for the second time in the Jonathan administration which was defeated by the Gen Buhari led APC. Jonathan’s defeat was not because of any societal hardship or economic issues. Jonathan’s administration led Nigeria to an economically prosperous Nation, taking our GDP to $500B, and an unprecedented number 1 position in Africa.”
He said he would not address the reason why former President Goodluck Jonathan was defeated at the polls in 2015.
“I am neither a member of the APC nor an adviser of the administration. I appreciate the bold initiatives President Bola Tinubu took to remove fuel subsidy, which was assented to by ALL candidates during the campaign. I also fully support the sectoral equalization of our forex market. Both reforms are responsible for the hardship our people are currently experiencing, but which I believe will be temporary judging by the strenuous efforts the govt is making towards ameliorating them.
“This not praise singing. I do not count myself as a member of the opposition, hence I am able to be objective and understandingly supportive. I may not have had a hand in installing this govt but it is my country and I am a stakeholder in it. I do not pray for it to crash or go down. This cannot be an offense.
“We all are practitioners, players and known actors in this Amphitheater, no need to go personal. Let’s keep criticisms rational, mature and professional,” he said.
Okupe also thanked Momodu for forgiving him of his $20,000 debt.
Wondering if Okupe really thinks Omokri’s facts are “unassailable,” a netizen named Eze Ndi Anambra shared a December 19, 2022 post where Omokri called Okupe, who was at the time the campaign director-general for the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign, a “convicted criminal” and a “thief”.
Okupe replied with laughter and clapping emojis, adding “Nice one”.
