Doyin Okupe, former executive director of Peter Obi’s presidential campaign organization, said the wave of defections from Labor was due to the party’s failure to establish a sustainable structure after the 2023 elections.
Naija News recalls that six LP MPs recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the House of Representatives.
These include Representative Tochukwu Chinedu Okere (Imo), Representative Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Representative Akiba Bassey (Cross River) and Representative Esosa Iyawe (Ed).
Mr. Okupe, who spoke to reporters in Lagos State on Sunday, noted that the current challenges of the Labor Party have led the elected members to seek political relevance and survival in other regions.
Mr Okupe explained that the defection was predictable as many elected members would not stay in a party with uncertain prospects.
The former Labor Party leader also said that Mr. Peter Obi recently met with opposition leaders in Adamawa, including the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Mr. Atiku Abubakar. This is a sign that there is a possibility of the company’s withdrawal.
He said: “Labour has historically been an alternative option for people who couldn’t secure a ticket to a major party. That’s how we got involved in the first place and our presence will shape its fate. I pushed it up.
“MPs elected under the LP banner know that without a strong party organization they are unlikely to return in 2027. To secure their political future, they will It is trying to align itself with more established political parties.
“What does Obi and Atiku’s encounter tell us? It suggests that all options are on the table. Labor supporters are not blind.”
Mr Okupe also criticized the party leadership and Peter Obi for failing to build a post-election political structure.
He added: “Labour is not building or investing. This failure is driving people away and will continue to do so.”
