Okupe resignation mischief carried too far — Labour Party

 

The Labour Party has described the reason for the resignation of the former Director General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, (LPPCC), Dr. Doyin Okupe from the Labour Party, as a mischief carried too far.

Tribune Online reported that Okupe resigned from the Labour Party (LP), citing ideological differences that emerged after the 2023 elections.

The party on Tuesday said it wondered why Okupe would ascribe his resignation from the party as ideological when he knew ab initio that the Labour Party was leftist while he had sojourned with other ideological submissions of political party.

The statement reads in part: “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. 

According to the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh who signed the statement, the party said, “Needless to say 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 PDP.

The Labour Party statement also held that Okupe also addressed the Labour Party pejoratively as a “Special Purpose Vehicle”.

“This response wouldn’t have been necessary if Okupe had left quietly or perhaps claimed ‘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 centre 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 Labour Party is not in anyway surprising to us. In a true character of traditional politician who moves from place to another, he was in PDP, from PDP to APC and then the Labour Party and we won’t be surprised if he goes back to his vomit and embraces either APC or PDP all over again. It is all about where food is ready. 

“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 the Labour Party does not support political opportunists. The system will naturally expose such political characters and eject them. I ask again, had Labour Party been declared winner of the presidential election, will Okupe remain with the party or jumped 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.”