Saraki’s Ordeal: It’s not my wish that APC implodes – Okupe

Former Senior Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, yesterday, admonished the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to manage the ongoing trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), in the overall interest of the nation’s nascent democracy. Speaking via a post on his Facebook page, Okupe, who made a shocking retraction of his pre-election prediction that the APC would implode, however, stated that in the spirit of patriotism, and now that they (APC) are in government, it is not in his interest or that of any patriotic Nigerian to wish that they break up. Noting however, that the law must be allowed to take its course, Okupe urged the warring parties to “manage this delicate matter in the overall interest of our nation, our democracy and our people.” His words: “To ordinary watchers of Nigerian politics, the ongoing ordeal of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki may be an interesting soap opera. But to more discerning minds it is nothing short of a tragic comedy. Over the years, Nigerian politicians fail over and over again to convince anybody that they actually learnt anything from our checkered political history. This is why we have had many Republics in our national history. “Winston Churchill said ‘failure to act when action would have been simple and effective, lack of good reasoning, and confusion of counsel, all these lead to endless repetition of history.’ I am personally not a supporter of Dr. Saraki and for good reasons. He spearheaded the demolition of the PDP and the eventual catastrophic electoral misfortune of the Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidency. “Neither am I a detractor of the Senate President. However, as a veteran politician, I accept that all is fair in love and in war and as they say, the end justifies the means. “But what is currently going on is ominous and dangerous, and will require wisdom and extreme tact from all the dramatis personnel. I did in the past predict that the APC will break up, but that was before the APC formed the government. Now that they are in government, it is not in my interest or that of any reasonable or patriotic Nigerian to wish that they break up. “A break up of the APC now has the capacity to undermine the current political process and the entire political dispensation we are passing through to the detriment of the country and the innocent masses. “As it is now, while the law must be allowed to take its course, men with less passion, and more sense on all sides must rise to the occasion to manage this delicate matter in the overall interest of our nation, our democracy and our people. “Remembering always that an ill wind does not blow anyone any good,” Jonathan’s former aide said.