Okupe: Many ‘Obidients’ are members of other parties

Doyin Okupe, director-general of the Peter Obi presidential campaign council, says a significant number of those supporting the ‘Obidient’ movement are members of other political parties.

Okupe said this on Wednesday at the unveiling of the 1,234-member presidential campaign council of the Labour Party (LP), in Abuja.

According to NAN, he said the party would secure at least 15 million votes in the 2023 presidential election.

Okupe also said the LP presidential and vice-presidential candidates have been accepted by Nigerians because of their “robust and endearing” records, personalities, vision, and policies.

He said the movement has taken on a life of its own and become an unprecedented and formidable force in Nigeria.

“As we begin the 2023 round of electioneering campaigns, the registered voter population figure has tripled since 2019. More than 60 percent of the nearly 100 million registered voters today are youths,” Okupe said.

“This shows that there are more new voters in the voter register than old ones, and all the newly-registered voters are ‘Obidients’.

“It is just for us to pray for life till the elections. We will show them. Nigeria is a youthful stream and they are ready to support all the way.

“Unknown to many, a significant number of the youth and drivers of this movement are active members and supporters of the other political parties.

“These are people who could not ignore the overbearing superiority in leadership quality, personal disposition, national appeal, private and public service record, and the clear-cut expression of vision and governance solutions of Obi and Datti.

“I make bold to say, while the reality is becoming clearer to everyone, that these are the people who will decide the immediate future of this country.”

Okupe added that LP has not spent a dime to organise, influence, or secure the “massive” following and support it has been getting from the ‘Obidient’ movement.

“We in the Obi-Datti presidential organisation and the Labour Party are totally and graciously humbled by this massive adoption of our candidates as the preferred candidates for the forthcoming election,” he said.

Okupe assured Nigerians that the party and its candidates would remain committed to honest and issue-based engagements to turn around the fortunes of the nation.

He appealed to security agencies, the judiciary, the academia, and religious bodies not to be complacent during the elections.

“To INEC,  we say this is its biggest test in recent history, and it has no choice but to act as a fair, impartial, fearless, and patriotic umpire at the coming elections,” he said.

“Hold us to our word, that the Labour Party presidency of Peter Obi and Datti will cut wastage and take bold steps to move Nigeria from consumption to production.

“Within four years, the Obi-Datti administration will embark on an aggressive investment drive in practicable smart agriculture.”