Labour Party’s Move With Okupe As Interim VP Candidate: Giving Peter Obi Enough Room To Fine-tune Search
The Oasis Reporters
June 18, 2022
By Greg Abolo
@theoasisreport1
Both resilient supporters and dedicated opponents of Peter Obi are baffled at the puzzle that the campaign strategy has dropped down at a time that the Labour Party candidate is still in Egypt for the AfrEximBank meeting in Cairo and his study tour of Egypt’s Electric Power options.
Meanwhile, the deadline for the submission of a Vice presidential candidate was about to close. The party quickly pulled a strategy out of the bag to keep the opposing parties in a quandary.
They submitted the name of a Peter Obi associate who froze his presidential ambition in the PDP to support Obi for equity sake, so that the presidency can move to the South East.
The name of Doyin Okupe who is from the South West was submitted to fulfill all righteousness in meeting the INEC deadline.
Everyone knows that Okupe, who is a medical doctor, cannot run with Obi. They are both from the south and both gentlemen seem to be Christians, thus making it politically unfeasible as a joint ticket.
The move gives the party enough leg room to find a Muslim candidate from the north who would be substituted for Doyin Okupe. The party now has all the time it needs to find one.
Dear supporters of Peter obi, & all OBIdient members of the Obi movement, I had to take the VP slot to meet up wt d Inec deadline & not to predijuce d status of d emerging grand coalition we are putting together.shortly when d 3rd force is done,new arrangement 'll b substituted.
— Doyin (@doyinokupe) June 17, 2022
With the momentum generated by the Peter Obi movement in unprecedented voter registration nationwide, it is evident that other parties like the APC and the PDP (which has chosen Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa) as it’s Vice presidential candidate, would be watching the unfolding scenario with undisguised interest.
One of them is Reno Omokri, a social media influencer ( euphemism for propagandist) who is quick to not only predict the move by LP, but to try and dampen the enthusiasm of the members. Omokri is believed to be working for billionaire politician, Atiku Abubakar who worked strenuously behind the scenes to scuttle the resolution of all Southern governors that power should shift to the South after 8 years of President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim Fulani northerner.
Incidentally, the inaugural meeting of the southern governors to insist on power shift to the South was held in Asaba, Delta State and was hosted by Ifeanyi Okowa, who has now emerged as Atiku’s running mate.
You say you are working on a merger with Kwankwaso. Kwamkwaso already said he will NEVER be a VP candidate. So in essence, what are you telling Nigerians? As at today, the only party ready for the election is the PDP. You can hate facts, but you can’t dismiss them!#TableShaker
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 17, 2022
Reno who has often grumbled loudly about the unfriendly reaction he is getting from a few Peter Obi supporters, now would get a few more guffaws from Nigerians who are not pleased that he, a Deltan from the south is determined to cause damage to the Peter Obi campaign because he believes that after the eight years of a Buhari administration, another Fulani citizen like Atiku, should succeed Buhari who is also Fulani from the north.
Here’s a tweet that is querying Omokri’s interest in the matter.
Oh you have become spoke man of kwankwoso right? Only a hater does that….. good night
— Michael (@Michael23175954) June 17, 2022
And another one here:
Oga with due respect avoid talking about obi if you don't want his supporters to keep saying things you that u don't want to hear, coz pikin wey talk say em mama no go sleep him no go sleep to, bible says there's no peace for the wicked.
— Henry Twister (@Henry44E) June 17, 2022
The Labour Party is definitely playing a game to keep the other parties guessing, while they wait.
So far, the strategy is working, while the other major party, the ruling All Progressive Congress remains largely unsure of its reading of the chess game.
