Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs Dr. Doyin Okupe has said that the president’s closeness to some corrupt ex-convicts is not against the law.
Okupe said this at a press conference organized to address President’s commitment to the war against corruption.
This came barely 24 hours after the Transparency International, in its 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Nigeria as the 35th most corrupt nation in the world.
Okupe said: “There is no law in Nigeria that says that a politician that has been jailed should not be going to the Villa and the Peoples Democratic Party does not have it in its constitution that he (the ex-convict) cannot come back to his party.
“Maybe if they review the constitution and put it there, it will be wrong. But for now, it is not wrong,” Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, stated this at a press briefing in Abuja.
When asked to comment on the regular visits of ex convicts such as former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieseigha; a former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion; and a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George to the Presidential Villa, Okupe answered, “There is no law that says if this man goes to jail, he cannot be a party member.
“Have you seen Bode George or any of these people and the President kissing or eating on the same table?
“If they meet at a political forum and Bode George is a leader of the party in Lagos and there is no law in Nigeria that says he should be isolated.
“Chief Obafemi Awolowo, did he not go to jail? People go to jail for different reasons.”
But when he was reminded that Awolowo was not jailed over corruption charges, Okupe bypassed the observation.
Rather, he said, “There is no law in Nigeria that says that a politician that has been jailed should not be going to the Villa and the Peoples Democratic Party does not have it in its constitution, that he (the ex-convict) cannot come back to his party.
“Maybe if they (PDP leaders) review the constitution and put it there, it will be wrong. But for now, it is not wrong.”
Okupe said he was shocked that Nigerians and the media did not commend president Jonathan for arraigning the son of the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, for alleged corruption.
Okupe said, “I’m surprised that you refused to acknowledge that the son of the serving National Chairman of the PDP has been arrested, has been arraigned and is undergoing prosecution.
“If President Jonathan does not have the political will, that is a suicidal move. President Jonathan is a politician by definition and by standing.
“If for instance, he intends to run in 2015 and Bamanga Tukur is the chairman, if he (Jonatha) does not have the political will he will not do what he has done.
“That is an unprecedented act and he deserves commendation.
“This is the man who will attend to the President if he needs something from the party. You are putting his son in the dock. You think that is not political will? Let us be fair to him.”
On the retention of Mr. Godsday Orubebe as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Emeka Wogu as Labour minister, despite allegations of corruption levelled against the two, Okupe said it is not proper to sack government officials over mere allegations that have no evidence.
“If the President fires every minister and every government official that people alleged, I doubt whether we will have 50 per cent remaining in government,” the presidential aide said.
“The (Labour) minister has no link with the issue of the company that has to do with the subsidy.”
Okupe said the cut-down in the budget of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was for the Federal Government to find the most comfortable balance to disburse its available resources.
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