In a recent interview on Arise Television, Doyin Okupe, the former director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign, unveiled startling insights into the party's role in the 2023 presidential election. Okupe candidly described the LP as nothing more than a "special purpose vehicle" (SPV) utilized solely for the presidential election, shedding light on the pragmatic approach taken by himself and LP's presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
During the interview, Okupe emphasized that neither he nor Obi inherently aligned with the ideologies of the LP, stating unequivocally, "I have never been a labor person." He further revealed that his decision to resign from the LP in January was driven by fundamental ideological disparities.
"The LP for us — for Peter Obi and I — and those in the leadership of the movement… the party was a special purpose vehicle (SPV)," Okupe affirmed, underscoring the strategic utilization of the LP as a platform rather than a philosophical allegiance.
In a poignant admission, Okupe conceded that both he and Obi, a seasoned businessman, lacked intrinsic ties to the labor movement. "Peter Obi is not a labor person. He is not a leftist person, he is a trader, he is a businessman just like me," Okupe clarified, elucidating the pragmatic approach adopted by the LP in their pursuit of electoral success.
However, Okupe's revelations didn't stop there. He criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his former political home, for what he deemed an "unreasonable" decision to field a northern candidate in the lead-up to the 2023 election. This remark underscores Okupe's discontent with prevailing political dynamics and strategic decisions within Nigeria's political landscape.
