Doyin Okupe, a former Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo has apologized to the Igbos for saying an Igbo presidency cannot evolve until the north forgives the Igbos for killing the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
Okupe, who is also a former Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, tendered the apology for the incendiary statement he made about an Igbo Presidency via Twitter on Saturday.
Recall that Bello was murdered on January 15, 1966, by Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu, an Igbo Nigerian Army officer in a coup which collapsed Nigeria’s post-independence government. Bello was still serving as premier of Northern Nigeria at the time.
Joining the fray about the conversation on Igbo presidency, Okupe had tweeted: “A national consensus for Igbo Presidency cannot evolve until the core north forgives the Igbos for the killing of Sardauna of Sokoto by nigerian soldiers of Igbo extraction in the 1966 Coup.”
Speaking further, Okupe added that he was ready to shelve his presidential ambition if a consensus for Igbo presidency is reached by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said: “If this consensus emerges, in the interest of equity, fairness & national unity, I will shelve my ambition & support whoever is chosen as a candidate by my party. However, in the event that this national consensus is not achievabe, I WILL RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2023 by God’s Grace.”
The comments made by the presidential aide, however, did not go down well with many, who slammed Okupe, making him trend on Twitter, but he later deleted the tweet, and hours after, returned to Twitter to apologise.
He wrote: “OPEN APPOLOGY TO THE IGBOS. I tender my unreserved appology 2 d Igbos & other nigerians who felt offended by my post on igbo presidency and the north.I never intended to hurt or demean the Igbos.Instead I wanted 2 help actualise d dream. I regret d said post, & I am truly sorry.”
OPEN APPOLOGY TO THE IGBOS.
I tender my unreserved appology 2 d Igbos & other nigerians who felt offended by my post on igbo presidency and the north.I never intended to hurt or demean the Igbos.Instead I wanted 2 help actualise d dream. I regret d said post, & I am truly sorry.— Doyin (@doyinokupe) March 20, 2021