Dr. Doyin Okupe has accused Peter Obi of betraying Atiku Abubakar by running against him in the 2023 presidential election. Okupe, who served as Obi's campaign DG, claims Obi's ambitions led to the split and criticizes the Labour Party's national campaign structure. Labour Party chairman Bello Adebayo disputes the claims.
Dr. Doyin Okupe, former Director-General of the Labour Party's 2023 presidential campaign, has publicly criticized Peter Obi, claiming that Obi betrayed Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Okupe, in a viral social media video, argued that Obi’s presidential ambitions led him to oppose Atiku, who had previously introduced him to national politics. Okupe defended his decision to withdraw support for Obi, asserting that his political career, which began in 1978, was not dependent on Obi’s ambitions. He clarified that his support for Obi, as initiated by Ayo Adebanjo, was driven by a belief in fairness for the South-East region in the 2023 election.
Despite their collaboration, Okupe cited flaws in the Labour Party's national structure as a reason for the campaign's failure. In response to Okupe’s statements, Bello Adebayo, the Labour Party chairman in Osun State, dismissed claims of betrayal, insisting that Obi’s decision to contest against Atiku was a matter of personal ambition rather than betrayal.
