The Director General of the Labour Party presidential campaign council, Dr Doyin Okupe has stepped down from his position.
This came hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council demanded his resignation.
On Monday, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Okupe to two years imprisonment for breaching the money laundering act.
The former presidential special adviser was found guilty of 26 out of a 59-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He later paid the option of fine of N500,000 on each of the counts — totalling N13 million, and was released the same day.
Okupe announced his resignation on Tuesday in a 20th December 2022 letter addressed to the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
The letter reads: “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.
“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”.
In an interview with The PUNCH, the Director of Media and Publicity for APC presidential campaign council, Mr Bayo Onanuga mocked Okupe, saying he doesn’t deserve to continue occupying his office as DG of Obi’s campaign.
Onanuga said the only option presently open for the former PDP stalwart was for him to bow out of the campaign “honourably”.
He said: “Okupe should resign from his post as DG of Obi’s campaign. He should do so honorably. The court has spoken. He should no longer be involved in the campaign”.
Reacting, Obi vowed that the conviction of his campaign DG won’t demoralise him.
In an interaction with journalists in Uyo on Monday, Obi said that he would not be distracted by the conviction but would allow the due process of law to take its course.
He said: “I am hearing about it (the conviction) just like you. I am still studying what is coming out of the court and everything. I believe in the rule of law. It is not going to demoralise me.
“Today, when I arrived Akwa Ibom somebody asked me why I haven’t been using my aircraft because it has been grounded and all that, and I said to him that nothing demoralises me.
“In my life, I have never stayed where they dropped me, otherwise, I would have been where they dropped me before. This election, if they like, let them do anything about people who are around me. I will get there”.
