Former Senior Special Assistant on Public
Affairs to immediate past President Goodluck
Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has dumped the
Peoples Democratic Party.
In a post on his Facebook page titled, "It is
time to say GOODBYE TO PDP," Okupe said
he had to make his resignation from the party
public because PDP "no longer exists in my
ward as a single unified party; it was when I
joined it."
He based his resignation on the following reasons:
"It is no longer news that the PDP has been
embroiled in a fratricidal internal crisis
brought upon it by itself.
"Its current direction is difficult to discern and
I am convinced that even when the much
expected judgement from the Supreme Court
is given, the future of the party is not likely to
be significantly affected whichever way the
judgement goes.
"There seems to be too much deception,
selfishness and gross nepotism in our polity
nationally.
"During the NRC and SDP era, there existed
true nationalism and brotherhood.
"Northern NRC politicians will under no
circumstance undermine their party for any
parochial reason. Also neither will a Southern
NRC politician, under any circumstance betray
their party.
"Abiola was a Yoruba man, yet those of us
who were Yorubas in the NRC never once
thought of voting for him.
"The commitment in the North was even more
profound. Even the Northern SDP rejected a
distinguished successful Kano born "Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Bashir Tofa,
and voted for a Southern Yoruba muslim
candidate. Worse than that, both Abiola and
his running mate, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe
were muslims. Yet, it did not matter.
"Today, political parties have lost their
importance and identities. Once the candidate
is Northern, his party is immaterial, all norherners irrespective of their professed
party affiliations will vote for him.
"This is the major reason why there has been
a total absence of opposition in the country in
the last two years, and may probably be
responsible for the polarization and sharp
ethnic divisions we are currently witnessing in
the country.
"In the east, there is intense anger and loud
call for secession, in the south-south, there is
absolute indignation and very resolute demand
for total control of their resources, while the
south-west is bellicose and hell bent on true
federalism and restructuring which many prominent Northerners openly oppose for good
or for bad.
'Under these circumstances, political parties
have lost their flavor and relevance.Certainly,
a party like my former party, PDP has no future in the evolving Nigerian Political Circus.
"This political confusion has percolate to the
states, Ogun state being one of the worst hit.
The leadership of the party has been irredeemably fictionalized for nearly a decade.
"Presently it is divided broadly into two major
factions. One headed by Hon Ladi Adebutu
and the other by Senator Buruji Kashamu.
"Unfortunately, I do not fit into either group.
Hence it becomes extremely difficult for me to operate as a politician under the PDP umbrella in the state. Yet, all politics is local.
"The situation in the country may in the nearest future require that matured men of goodwill standby to play a unifying role for political stability of the country. My membership of PDP may directly or indirectly preclude me from gratifying such noble and patriotic desire.
"Undeniably, I have been one of the major
beneficiaries (not financially) of the PDP. But
for a fact, the PDP and the APC are political
platforms that have now expired or in the process of being so.
"Therefore, no matter my commitment and
passion for this great party, the PDP, it has
become menopausal and can no longer bear
fruits.
"I have therefore decided to withdraw a bit and study the political situation more critically and thereafter take a decision soonest on my next political move.
"I will miss my friends, associates and co-
travelers on this tortuous political journey and
adventure. However, it is also still possible
that our paths cross in the nearest future,
which will be a delight.
"But in spite of my stated pessimism, I
sincerely express my best wishes to the more
courageous party faithfuls who I am leaving
behind,and I also pray for God's guidance for
them.
"For how far I have gone, I remain eternally
grateful to Almighty God and Jesus Christ my
savior, to whom ALL powers belong. If it is
His will that I still play a role in National
Politics in future, then most certainly, and by
His grace, I WILL BE BACK."
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