A former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has tendered an apology to Igbos for his comment on the 2023 elections and the agitation for Igbo presidency.
Okupe in a tweet on Saturday weighed in on the calls for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in the 2023 presidential election. He stated that an Igbo president cannot be possible in 2023 except there is a national consensus.
The former presidential aide also said that the South-East cannot produce a president until the North forgives them for killing Ahmadu Bello in 1966.
He wrote, “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.
“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, if this national consensus is not achievable, I WILL RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2023 by God’s Grace.”
The statement triggered a controversy with several Nigerians accusing him of attempting to smear the Igbo presidency campaign due to his personal ambition.
Reacting, Okupe retracted his statement and apologised to the Igbos, noting he never intended to demean them.
“OPEN APOLOGY TO THE IGBOS. I tender my unreserved apology to the Igbos & other Nigerians who felt offended by my post on the Igbo presidency and the North. I never intended to hurt or demean the Igbos. Instead, I wanted to help actualise the dream. I regret the said post & I am truly sorry,” he wrote.