Okupe said he was prepared and ready to help Nigeria overcome its various challenges social, economic and political crises which he noted, had continued to militate against the nation’s growth and development.

The medical doctor turned politician, according to a statement by his media office on Saturday, stated this while responding to questions during a live interview session with the PUNCH ONLINE during the week.

He argued that the Nigerian elite class had failed totally to solve the various issues militating against the progress of the nation.

He also stated that he was contesting to be president in 2023 to make a statement that the Nigerian political class could provide positive leadership that would lead to the growth and development of the country.

He said, “Providence has taken me to the corridor of power have worked with two different presidents in the nation and by this, I know how this country should be run. I believe in my abilities to bring about the much-needed change for this country. It is possible for the nation to achieve a 24- hour power supply and I am committed to achieving it. Nigerian can benefit from me, from the various experiences I have garnered working at the presidency. I am better than any other presidential aspirants that have so far indicated their intention to run and I believe in my strength to deliver,”

Okupe said “There is a strong indication that the party is erroneously tilting towards zoning the presidency to the North. Zoning is a veritable instrument that ensures equity and balance in the nation, gives hope and confidence and support to our national unity”, yesterday in a statement. The zoning arrangement which the PDP started in 1998 was based on the assumption that the party will be in power consistently but the moment it lost power in 2015, automatically the arrangement has to be reviewed in view of the development When the PDP lost power, there was a southern president in power. If the party didn’t lose power and completed in 2019, zoning would kick in and power would have shifted to the North. However, the party that won the election presented a northern candidate who by 2023 would have ruled for eight years. We still carried on as if the former arrangement was still in place in 2019 and it was justifiable because within the PDP at that time for us to put forward a northern candidate but in 2023, with APC having ruled for eight years with a northern candidate, it will be preposterous, unjust and uncaring and blatant for the PDP to zone the presidential ticket to the north because the arrangement expired the moment our party lost power in 2019. There should be a reset of the zoning arrangement in 2023. It does not make sense to replace a northern government of eight years with another northern government for another eight years, it doesn’t make sense. That is why the PDP should zone the presidency to the South. The southern governors who are the leaders of the South had spoken, we should listen to them. It will be folly, reckless and insensitive for any political party to ignore the position of the southern governors”.