Our Reporter, Abuja
The Labour Party, LP, has carpeted Doyin Okupe, its erstwhile member and Director General of the Obi/Datti presidential campaign council, who resigned from the party on Monday.
Ikengaonline had reported Okupe’s exit from the Labour Party citing ideological incongruity between him and the party.
But in a statement on Tuesday, Obiora Ifoh, LP’s publicity secretary said Okupe should not be taken seriously with his so called ideological reason for quitting the Labour Party as he already knew the position of the Party on the ideological spectrum.
The statement further noted that Okupe has always been a journeyman, moving from one party to another and in the process carrying his baggage with him.
“Okupe is aware that the Labour Party is ideologically rooted in the left of the center, and he admitted that he has been a rightist and a Liberal Democrat all his entire life, one wonders what he was looking for in a party that is diametrically opposed to his ideological leaning. What kind of political harlotry was he exhibiting by finding no qualms in jumping from one party to another with such ease.
“His exit from the Party is not in any way surprising to us. In a true character of traditional politicians who move from place to another, he was in PDP, from PDP to APC and then Labour Party and we won’t be surprised if he goes back to his vomit and embrace either APC or PDP all over again. It is all about where food is ready.”
The statement also said the Labour Party wouldn’t have minded had Okupe left quietly without impugning on the integrity of the party, which many Nigerians still believe won majority of the votes in the last presidential election by describing it as a Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV.
“In the letter said to have been addressed to our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, which is yet to be received, Okupe cited ideological conflict as the reason he left Labour Party, he also addressed Labour Party pejoratively as a “Special Purpose Vehicle.
“This response wouldn’t have been necessary if Okupe had left quietly or perhaps claim ‘personal reasons’ for his actions but by way of him demeaning a party believed to have won majority of votes by Nigerians but was denied victory by the Nigerian system was clearly a mischief carried too far.
“In the letter said to have been addressed to our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, which is yet to be received, Okupe cited ideological conflict as the reason he left Labour Party, he also addressed Labour Party pejoratively as a “Special Purpose Vehicle.
“We must recall that Okupe was forced to abdicate office halfway into the campaign because of the baggage he came with from the other party where he served. The courts whipped him into early political menopause, so he really didn’t contribute much into the Labour Party’s success in the 2023 electoral voyage, however we are glad he acknowledged that we offered him shelter.
“Finally, the leadership of the Labour Party wishes him well in his future political adventure. We will however remain positive that a new Nigeria is still possible,” the statement concluded.
