Doyin Okupe, a former presidential aide, has accused Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, of betraying Atiku Abubakar, his counterpart from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a viral video, Okupe claimed that Atiku brought Obi to national prominence as his running mate in 2019, but Obi betrayed Atiku by running against him in 2023 due to his own presidential ambitions.
Okupe denied betraying Obi, stating that he started politics in 1978, long before Obi’s emergence. He said Obi’s interest in the 2023 presidency led him to go against Atiku, his former principal.
“I started politics in 1978, Obi was nowhere else. Obi was the vice-presidential candidate of Atiku Abubakar in 2019. He brought him to the national limelight,” Okupe said.
“Because of his own ambition, which was correct and due, Obi left the party and contested against Atiku. If people said I betrayed Obi, what did Obi do to Atiku? It is not fair,” Okupe added.
Okupe also revealed that Pa Ayo Adebanjo of Afenifere influenced his initial support for Obi, as they agreed to support a South-East candidate for the presidency, and Obi was their choice
“Baba asked which section of the South should be considered if the presidency was zoned to the region. I told Baba that it was only the South-East that has not produced a president. Baba said we should support the South-East for the presidency and I agreed. We reviewed the presidential candidates from that region and we concluded on supporting Obi. That was what happened,” Okupe said.
However, Okupe later withdrew his support for Obi, stating that he was no longer interested in working with him.
“They said I betrayed Obi. No. How can I betray him? I was his supporter. If I supported him up to a point and decided to go back and be myself, how can that be an offence?” Okupe said.
