Doyin Okupe, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, has disagreed with the assessment of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu.
Momodu had in an open letter addressed to the president on Thursday, said Nigeria is in “big trouble,” noting that the country’s economy has “virtually collapsed”.
The publisher of Ovation Magazine, asked Tinubu to stop the “reckless propensity for wasting scarce resources,” adding that funds should be used for “serious development”.
“Purchasing presidential jets, building outlandish monuments, distributing cash as palliatives, etc. are signs of a failed and careless government,” the politician wrote.
“If you can curb the excessive spending of your government, you will free up a lot of resources for serious development.”
The letter attracted reactions, one of which was from Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide who has become a mouthpiece for the current administration, accused Momodu of “focused more on assumptions” in asserting that the country’s economy is collapsing.
Supporting Omokri’s comments, Okupe said Momodu “confused the prevailing hardship” in the country with “economic health and viability”.
Okupe said the positive growth indices highlighted by Omokri are indications of “imminent recovery” of the Nigerian economy.
Responding to Okupe, Momodu said Nigerians have never had it so bad as it relates to the economic situation of the country.
The PDP chieftain wondered why Tinubu suddenly became the “idol” of Okupe and Omokri despite the “reckless spending” by his administration.
“My dear Egbon, DR DOYIN OKUPE, I’m more amazed at your flip-flops Sir. You’re Reno’s senior in engaging in sophistry since your days as Obasanjo’s Spokesman in 1999, till you fell out. You’ve defended almost all governments since then with your eloquence. What has Nigeria gained!” he wrote.
Reacting to Momodu, Okupe said the journalist did not state the facts of the matter in his assessment of Tinubu’s administration.
The former presidential aide said Momodu’s comment that he has praised every president from 1999 till date is not factual.
