Following his resignation from the Labour Party, the party’s legal counsel, Kenneth Okonkwo, has criticized Doyin Okupe, former Director-General of the Peter Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation, calling him an “opportunist.”
Okonkwo stated that Okupe left the party immediately after stepping down as the DG, without any prior consultation with the party.
Okupe’s resignation letter, citing ideological differences post-2023 election as the reason for his exit from the party, was shared with journalists on Monday.
Okupe mentioned, “We did contest the election on the platform of the Labour Party and lost. This makes it exceedingly difficult for me to continue to stay in the Labour Party which is ideologically rooted in the left of the center.
He further explained, “I have been a rightist and a Liberal Democrat all my entire life. It is therefore this ideological conflict that makes me seek an exit so that I may continue my political activities with liberalism, sincerity and freedom.”
During an appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme, Okonkwo expressed his awareness of Okupe’s departure from the party, immediately after he stepped down as the DG.
Addressing the attribution of Okupe’s resignation to party disloyalty, Okonkwo acknowledged Okupe’s “absolute freedom of assembly and freedom of association” as his fundamental rights, as stated in the resignation letter.
In the same letter, Okupe mentioned leaving the Peoples Democratic Party along with the party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, and some other party members, to contest the 2023 elections.
However, Okonkwo disapproved of Okupe’s use of the term “Special Purpose Vehicle,” suggesting it is commonly associated with the misuse of funds in the guise of consultancy contract awards by politicians.
He also labeled Okupe as an “opportunist,” stating that the “ideological differences” existed before Okupe became a member of the party, implying his opportunistic nature.
Attempting to illustrate his point, Okonkwo questioned Okupe’s motives, implying that he joined the party purely to contest elections, rather than for ideological reasons.
It was noted that in December 2023, Okupe was convicted of money laundering by the Federal High Court in Abuja, after being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for receiving money from a former National Security Adviser.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, but opted to pay a fine of N13 million to avoid imprisonment.
Following his conviction, Okupe announced his withdrawal from the presidential campaign of Peter Obi, but expressed continued support and loyalty to the party’s flagbearer.