The Labour Party has reacted to the resignation of its former campaign director general, Doyin Okupe, from the fold.
Okupe on Monday announced his exit from the Labour Party, citing ideological conflict. He said as a right wing liberal democrat, he couldn’t find accommodation with the leftist ideology of the Labour Party.
But a statement by Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party faulted Okupe’s claim of ideological conflict, saying he was only looking for a place where the food is ready.
Here’s the full statement.
The leadership of the Labour Party like most Nigerians read in the social media the purported resignation of the former Director General of our Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Doyin Okupe from the Labour Party. Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have responded but because of media attraction it has been generating since yesterday. Needless to say, that after the general election, a few members of the party had left while many others have also joined the party. It is within the rights of any Nigerian to associate with any political parties of their choice.
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.
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 moves 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 Labour Party is an ideological party, it has a clear-cut ideology which supports equal opportunity and social justice. It is specifically not a place for people like Doyin Okupe. Our system in LP does not support political opportunists. The system will naturally expose such political characters and eject them. I ask again, had our party been declared winner of the presidential election, will Okupe remain with the party or jump ship in adherence to his ideological leaning.
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.
