For Criticising Jonathan, Okupe Says Atiku, Others Need Psychiatric Examination

“Those people saying that this government is clueless need psychiatric test. From now on, anybody who says this government is clueless should be referred to a psychiatrist says Doyin Okupe.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Okupe, said on Tuesday that critics of the President needed to be examined by psychiatrists.

Okupe reacted to statements by Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in which the ex-VP raised the alarm over the activities of the members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in the North-East. Atiku had alleged that if the activities of the insurgents were not quickly curtailed, they could overrun the entire region but angry Okupe could not hold back his anger at such comments.

Transcripts of what he said: “It is obvious that people are also trying to make mileage of insurgency. On Monday, a very notable member of the Nigerian leadership institution, in particular Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, took a swipe at the Federal Government and at the President.

“You know, it’s difficult to comment publicly about people who have held very important and highly dignified position in our polity, but when people go to the extent of trying to make political gains out of national tragedy, it is difficult not to say something because this is part of the misinformation which the Nigerian public has been subjected to.

“Atiku said that we have problems with leadership, both political leadership and military leadership. For a former Vice President, I believe the comments passed by Atiku Abubakar, I don’t want to use the word ‘irresponsible’, but I will say it is a little bit out of place.

“It is not something you expect from an elder statesman, somebody who has been in the system and who understands how government works.”

“I remember very well that before the 2011 elections, it was the people like Atiku Abubakar who said that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.

“That was his statement and that was what poured out some of these young people who have been brainwashed to take up armed against their state,” he said.

He said, “We have capable people who have made name running this economy; people like (Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun) Aganga; (Minster of Finance, Ngozi) Okonjo-Iweala and others and people are saying this government is clueless.

“How can these capable people be running an economy where the government is clueless. Is this possible?

“But I want to say here that Jonathan administration is the most successful since 1960.”