I’ll run for president in 2023 if insecurity persists–Okupe
I’ll run for president in 2023 if insecurity persists–Okupe
Appalled by the rising spate of banditry, kidnapping and terror attacks across the country, former presidential spokesman, Dr Doyin Okupe, has promised to join the 2023 presidential race if the situation persists.
Okupe, who made this declaration in a statement released at the weekend, promised to submit a post dated letter resignation from office dated 30th September 2025
for himself and his vice president to the National Assembly, should he emerge president and fail to improve on the situation.
According to him, the resignation shall be activated by a vote of two thirds majority of the joint seating of the National Assembly, who would have satisfied themselves with the fact that his administration had not done enough or anything vividly substantial in the war against the scourges plaguing the country.
Okupe said he made the declaration with great and profound sense of responsibility considering the gloom and perplexity that the menace of banditry, kidnapping, herdsmen’s terrorism and Boko Haram terrorism had brought on the country nation while all Nigerians appeared helpless and hopeless.
He deplored what he called a raging internal war, pervading insecurity and lack of safety, severe inter ethnic hatred and strife tending to tear the nation apart.
He said: “I sincerely believe that things do not need to be the way they are. I have been a very close aide of two great Presidents and have been close enough to Power to know what can be done under these perplexing circumstances.
” I am convinced within myself that I have the knowledge, the intellect, the exposure and experience that will be required to lead this nation out of its present predicament , if no other seriously minded person is willing to offer themselves.
“As a teaser, I will elaborate briefly but not in too much details on what government can do to curtail this rampaging menace.
“As President I will declare a state of emergency in the affected states. I know politicians will not like this. But without security the nation and its politics will neither survive nor exist.
“Governors will not leave their political offices but their duties and functions shall be strictly limited to administrative matters while the state of emergencyis in place . The state assemblies will be on temporary holiday till things return to normalcy.
“I will appoint a senior military personnel to be the State Security administrator not lower than a Brigade General. He will be fully in charge and be responsible for the safety and security of citizens of the state. The National Security Adviser in consultation with the Service chiefs will coordinate these states commanding officers Nationally.
He added: “National security council meetings will be thrice weekly excluding emergency meetings. A daily report of security of all affected states shall be on my desk 8.00am daily.”
Providing a breakdown of his proposed security strategy, Okupe said: “I will deploy 2000 military troops and 3000 special police force to each of the affected states.
“Each state will have two transport helicopters, a surveillance helicopter with night vision capability and a surveillance helicopter.
“I will arrange with international private and commercial satellite companies to cover the affected areas 24/7.”
