By Chinelo Obogo
Dr. Doyin Okupe, former director general of presidential campaign of Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi, has resigned as a member of the party
Announcing his decision through his X account, yesterday, Okupe, in a letter addressed to the national chairman, said the loss of presidential election has made it exceedingly difficult for him to remain in the party which he said is ideologically rooted in the left of the centre.
He described himself as a ‘rightist’ and a ‘liberal democrat’ and that it is the ideological conflict with LP that has made him seek an exit so that he would continue his political activities with ‘liberalism, sincerity and freedom.’
“I submit herewith my letter of resignation from the Labour Party with effect from today. You will recall that our flag-bearer, Peter Obi, myself and others left the PDP abruptly and had to look for a special purpose vehicle in which to contest the 2023 presidential election.
“The Labour Party, your good self, and other members of your executive provided us with this veritable platform with no burdensomeness whatsoever and for which we were extremely grateful. We did contest the election on the platform of the Labour Party and lost. This makes it exceedingly difficult for me to continue to stay in the Labour Party which is ideologically rooted in the left of the centre.
“I have been a rightist and a liberal democrat all my entire life. It is, therefore, this ideological conflict that makes me seek an exit so that I may continue my political activities with liberalism, sincerity and freedom. I wish to thank you in particular and other members of the leadership of the party for the cordiality and respect accorded to me as the director general of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation. I wish you and the party success in your future endeavours,” Okupe said in the letter.
In 2023, Okupe announced his withdrawal from Obi’s campaign to focus on his court case.