Soyinka ‘attacking Jonathan because of Amaechi’

Doyin Okupe, the special assistant to the president on public affairs, has condemned Wole Soyinka’s stinging analysis of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

At a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, Soyinka had said the president was abusing his powers and going the way of military ruler, Sani Abacha.

But reacting, Okupe claimed that Soyinka had a bias against Jonathan because of the close relationship between the literary icon and Rotimi Amaechi, the governor of Rivers state.

He described Amaechi as the “national champion of impunity”, saying Soyinka had refused to call him to order.

“The close relationship between Amaechi and our eminent professor has affected his usually-cerebral contributions to national discourse,” he said.

“He also sadly plays the ostrich as he failed to reprimand Governor Amaechi, who is the national champion of impunity and official recklessness.”

Okupe defended Jonathan as “a respecter of the rule of law” and also disagreed with Soyinka’s criticism of Sulaiman Abba, the inspector-general of police.

He said said Abba was only doing his duty regarding the face-off at the national assembly, alleging that Soyinka was justifying unlawful conduct.

“The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan prides itself as the most liberal, keeping faith with adherence to rule of law and tolerance,” he said.

“It is interesting that he has chosen to ignore immoral, indefensible and unlawful attitude of the speaker of the house of representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, after his defection.”