The leadership of the Labour Party (LP), has described Doyin Okupe, a former Director General of Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Council, as a political opportunist, whose exit from the party is not surprising.
In a statement on Tuesday, Obiora Ifoh, the spokesman of the LP, said there is no room for political opportunists in the opposition party.
Okupe had announced his resignation from the opposition party in a letter on Monday.
He said his decision to leave the LP was based on “ideological grounds” and wished the party success in its future endeavours.
But while speaking on the ideological differences, Mr Ifoh described Mr Okupe as a “political harlot”.
He added that the LP remains a leftist party with an unwavering ideological stance.
“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have responded but because of media attraction, it has been generating since yesterday. 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 party 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, 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 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,” he said.
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,” he said.