Doyin Okupe, former Director-General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation during the 2023 elections, has shed light on the reasons behind his and Peter Obi’s departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a recent interview with journalists in Lagos, Okupe stated that their decision to leave the PDP was based on a shared belief that the next President of Nigeria should be a Southerner, ideally an Igbo man from the South-East. However, they found that the PDP was not aligning with this direction.
Okupe clarified that their political commitment to this cause ended after the election of President Bola Tinubu, which was upheld by the courts, including the Supreme Court. He emphasized that while they had initially supported Obi based on this principle, the outcome of the election and the subsequent legal validation meant that their political agreement concluded.
Responding to criticisms from supporters of Obi, known as Obidients, who have attacked him for his support of Tinubu’s administration, Okupe explained that his shift in political alignment was a result of his recognition of the democratic process and legal verdicts. He remarked, “Obi and I left the PDP because we both agreed and believed that the next President must be a Southerner, preferably an Igbo man from the South-East. Unfortunately, we lost that election. Another Southerner, Bola Tinubu, won the election. This is God’s will. He gives power to whom He wishes.”
Okupe reiterated that his political disposition was not solely tied to Obi’s ambition and stressed that their cooperation ended with the Supreme Court’s judgment. He asserted, “My political commitment and agreement with Obi ended and expired there. I am too experienced in this game of politics for my subsequent political disposition and destiny to be tied to Obi’s ambition. Impossible.”
In closing, Okupe underscored the importance of accepting democratic outcomes and maintaining order in society, irrespective of individual political affiliations or past alliances.
