‘I hope legal system clears his name’ — Obi accepts Okupe’s resignation as campaign DG

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has reacted to the resignation of Doyin Okupe as director-general of the LP presidential campaign council.

Okupe resigned from his position on Tuesday following a judgment of a federal high court convicting him of money laundering.

The court had sentenced him to two years imprisonment with the option to pay a N500,000 fine on each of the counts — totalling N13 million.

Okupe paid the fine shortly after the sentencing.

In his resignation letter, Okupe said he was stepping down so as not to “become a source of distraction for the party”.

Obi, in a letter addressed to Okupe,  acknowledged receipt of the resignation letter and said he hopes the former LP campaign director-general is given the opportunity to clear his name.

“Dear Elder Brother Doyin, I received your letter offering to step aside in order to avoid any distraction to the good work of trying to forge a new direction for our country, on board of which you have been from inception,” the letter reads.

“It is a decision which I respect.

“The story of the historic effort, which has galvanised millions of countrymen, particularly youths, cannot be complete without mentioning Okupe’s commitment, dedication, and the boundless energy he brought to bear.

“It is my sincere hope that the legal system would afford Okupe an opportunity to eventually clear his name.”