- Doyin Okupe, the former Labour Party presidential campaign director general, has said Peter Obi was nowhere when he joined politics in 1978
- Okupe made the claim while reacting to the allegation that he betrayed Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election
- According to Okupe, Obi should rather be accused of betrayal for betraying Atiku Abubakar, who brought him to national politics in 2019 but contested against the PDP presidential candidate in 2023
Doyin Okupe, former director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign, claims that Peter Obi, the party's candidate in the February 25, 2023, presidential election, was unknown when he started politics in 1978.
Okupe says Obi's presidential aspiration led him to contest against Atiku Abubakar, who introduced him to national politics.
Why Okupe resigned as Obi's campaign DG
Daily Trust reported that the former Labour Party presidential campaign DG denies betraying Obi, stating that he withdrew his support because he no longer wanted to work with him.
He notes that Obi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the LP and contested against Atiku, his former mentor, in the 2023 presidential election.
Okupe questions the fairness of accusing him of betrayal when Obi himself contested against his former boss, Atiku, and asserts that his decision to stop supporting Obi is not an offence.
When did Okupe leave Labour Party
Recall that Okupe and Obi left the PDP for the Labour Party before the presidential primaries, where Obi secured the presidential ticket.
Okupe served as the campaign director-general and temporary running mate until Ahmed Datti was selected as the eventual running mate. However, in December 2022, Okupe resigned as campaign DG after being convicted in a money laundering case.
The former presidential spokesperson was sentenced to two years in prison by the Federal High Court in Abuja, found guilty of 26 out of 59 counts brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Source: Legit.ng