Former presidential media aide, Dr. Doyin Okupe has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot be held responsible for the economic mismanagement under the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration
Speaking in an interview with The Sun, Okupe highlighted the fractured nature of the APC, describing it as a “conglomerate of strange bedfellows.”
He argued that the amalgamation of political groups such as the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and others created an unstable foundation for governance.
“Tinubu cannot be held responsible for the government before him,” Okupe stated, acknowledging the pivotal role Tinubu played in bringing Muhammadu Buhari to power but insisting that the current administration should be judged independently.
Okupe dismissed claims of collapsing manufacturing and dwindling foreign direct investments, citing recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
He pointed to a reported 3% growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and significant improvements in the manufacturing sector during the last quarter.
“Foreign direct investment is increasing,” he asserted, adding that Tinubu’s administration had already resolved pressing financial issues, including settling $7 billion owed to international airlines.
Okupe urged Nigerians to adopt a realistic perspective on the nation’s challenges, emphasizing that the rot inherited from the previous administration cannot be resolved within a short timeframe.
“The lifespan of an administration is four years. If you have had rottenness that was unabated for more than eight years, do you think it can be fixed in 18 months? It cannot,” he argued.
Addressing the alarming rise in out-of-school children and youth restiveness, particularly in Northern Nigeria, Okupe attributed the situation to the neglect of social programs like the Almajiri schools initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He called for acknowledgment of Tinubu’s reformist agenda, comparing his approach to that of Lee Kuan Yew, who transformed Singapore over three decades.
“We’ve got a reformer in the villa, somebody who says, ‘I take responsibility, and I’m going to try to reform this country,’” Okupe said.
He emphasized the importance of national unity and support to achieve the government’s objectives.
“Let us agree, let us be factual,” he concluded, urging Nigerians to rally behind the reforms rather than demonize the administration.
