Okupe resigns position as Obi-Datti campaign DG

Doyin Okupe has stepped down from his position as the director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council.

His decision is to enable him to pursue his corruption case in Court.

He announced his resignation in a letter addressed to Peter Obi,  The Labour party presidential candidate, dated December 20, 2022.

“Dear Peter, you will recall that I briefed you yesterday about my personal travails in seeking justice and clearing my name using the Nigerian Legal System to pursue same,” the letter reads.

“I have invested too much in your campaign to allow my personal travails to become a source of distraction

“In the circumstances, I have opted to step aside and plead that you appoint a new Campaign DG who can continue the assignment with zero distractions.”

It's time to step aside. But I am with PO and the Obidients and the Presidential Campaigns till God gives us victory in Jesus Name. pic.twitter.com/ZByUqN9orr

— Doyin (@doyinokupe) December 20, 2022

Recall that Okupe, on Monday, was found guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Justice Ojukwu held that the action of Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), violated the Money Laundering Act.

While the Act states that no individual or organization shall receive any sum above N5 million and N10 million respectively without passing through a financial institution, the judge held that “there is no evidence that the money passed through a financial institution”.

The court consequently held that the first defendant, Dr. Okupe was guilty in counts 34, 35, 36, and 59.

Reacting to the judgment earlier through its Media Officer, Diran Onifade, the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), confirmed that Okupe had paid N13m fine handed to him by the court.

He said as the party that respects the rule of law, its officials will obey court judgments promptly.

Onifade, however, said appealing the judgment is a personal decision of Okupe and that the PCC cannot influence that.