Doyin Okupe has revealed the pivotal role he played in Peter Obi’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Okupe decided to support Obi’s presidential ambition after discussing with Pa Ayo Adebanjo in 2022.
Okupe recounted his conversation with Adebanjo, highlighting the injustice of the South-East not having had a shot at the presidency. Adebanjo encouraged him to support a South-East candidate, prompting Okupe to rally behind Peter Obi.
Following this decision, Okupe informed his political associates of his choice to drop his presidential ambitions and support Obi. He noted that among the potential candidates from the South-East, Obi had the greatest appeal. Okupe publicly announced his support for Obi at a press center in Abeokuta.
Peter Obi subsequently asked Okupe to be the Director-General of his campaign, a role Okupe gladly accepted.
Before the PDP primaries, it became clear that the party would not give its ticket to Obi due to numerous contenders and overwhelming odds. Okupe advised Obi to leave the PDP before the primaries to avoid appearing unserious. Obi followed this advice, resigned from the PDP, and joined the Labour Party three days later.