Peter Obi Was Nowhere When I Started Politics – Doyin Okupe

Doyin Okupe, former director-general of the Labour Party’s presidential campaign, has claimed that when he entered politics in 1978, Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, was not a notable figure.

In a widely circulated video, Okupe explained that Obi’s presidential ambitions led him to run against Atiku Abubakar, the candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who he claimed introduced him to national politics.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, switched from PDP to LP ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Okupe, who previously led the Obi/Datti presidential campaign organization, refuted accusations of betrayal, stating that he withdrew his support because he no longer wished to work with Obi.

He remarked, “People accuse me of betraying Obi, but how could I? I began my political career in 1978, and Obi was not a prominent figure then. My political future isn’t tied to Obi’s ambitions. I wish him well, but my involvement has ended. We aimed to achieve certain goals, which we didn’t.

“Obi was Atiku Abubakar’s vice-presidential candidate in 2019 and gained national prominence through him. Obi left PDP to pursue his own ambitions, running against Atiku. If people claim I betrayed Obi, what about Obi’s actions toward Atiku? It’s unfair.

“Obi’s pursuit in 2023 led him to challenge his former mentor. Obi was never my master; I was his supporter. If I chose to stop supporting him and return to my own path, how is that a betrayal?”