Politics

2023: ‘PDP, APC Others Are Expiring Soon, Nigerians Will Pepper Dem’ – Doyin Okupe

Published

3 years ago

October 13, 2022

Director General of Obi’s Campaign Organization, Dr Doyin Okupe

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the Labour Party has vowed that its flagbearer, Mr. Peter Obi would succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that Nigerians would jettison the two major political parties.

Speaking while unveiling the party’s Presidential Campaign Council list on Wednesday, the Director General of Obi’s Campaign Organization, Dr Doyin Okupe, said the party is set to retire the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, via the forthcoming elections.

Newsbreak Nigeria had earlier reported that about 14 days into the official commencement of the campaign, the Labour Party released the list of its Presidential Campaign Council on Wednesday.

While APC had 422 members in its Presidential Campaign Council list and PDP 520 members, Labour Party has the largest council list with 1,234 members.

Okupe appreciated Nigerians who, according to him, have accepted the LP candidate as the best for the presidential election.

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He claimed that no other presidential candidate could be compared to Peter Obi in competence and capacity, stressing that the two major political parties in the country would expire soon.

He said, “Fundamentally floored through the adoption of Muslim-Muslim ticket. We are not introducing religion into politics, we are trying to remove religion from politics.

“50 percent of the newly registered voters are younger Nigerians”.

On the insinuation that the supporters of the former Anambra Governor only exist on social media, Okupe opined that “because they are old schools, they don’t understand”. According to him, the party “has 15 million votes already; we are going to show them.

“PDP and APC are expiring soon. Nigerians will pepper them. There are more new voters than the old voters and 80 percent of the new voters are Obi-dients”.

On the possibility of some political parties rigging the 2023 presidential election, Okupe said, “it is no longer business as usual”.

Speaking exclusively with DAILY POST shortly after the press conference, Peter Obi’s National Campaign Manager, Isaac Balami, said the party is currently putting up measures to ensure that supporters of Obi exercise their fundamental human rights come 2023.

He said, “The two, three, four, and five million march across the country, we got them for free, we didn’t hire anybody with money.

“We are going to the grassroots now, we are training people in both local governments and polling units to make sure the votes are counted and protected until they are uploaded.

“The youths are with us, we are working with the women, we have reasonable elders and we are going to make sure that all their votes count.”

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AMAC Polls Shock: Another PDP Candidate Withdraws from FCT Race, Backs APC

Published

22 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

AMAC Polls Shock: Another PDP Candidate Withdraws from FCT Race, Backs APC

Less than 48 hours before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Zadna Dantani, has pulled out of the race and declared support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.

Dantani’s withdrawal follows a similar move in Bwari Area Council, where the PDP candidate, Hon. Julius Adamu, stepped down in favour of APC’s Joshua Ishaku Musa, signalling a major shift in political alignment ahead of Saturday’s elections.

In a formal declaration, Dantani explained that his decision was influenced by high-level intervention from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, whom he described as both “party leader and FCT leader.”

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“I want to sincerely appreciate everyone who supported us. This decision is not about personal interests. The Honourable Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, emphasized that this is a brotherhood election. I am aligning with APC in support of the good works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Dantani said.

Dantani also confirmed that he had completed all legal formalities, including submitting a letter of withdrawal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stating that the move was entirely voluntary and made after consultations with family and stakeholders.

He called on his supporters across AMAC’s 12 wards to vote for APC’s Christopher Maikalangu, describing the alignment as a step toward unity and effective governance in the territory.

Political analysts note that these high-profile PDP withdrawals in both AMAC and Bwari have reshaped the FCT political landscape, increasing APC’s chances of sweeping the elections and stirring debates about PDP’s internal cohesion ahead of upcoming local and national contests.

AMAC Polls Shock: Another PDP Candidate Withdraws from FCT Race, Backs APC

Politics

Updated: Rivers Senator Mpigi Barinada dies at 64

Published

23 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Updated: Rivers Senator Mpigi Barinada dies at 64

Lawmaker representing the South East Senatorial district of Rivers State, Senator Mpigi Barinada is dead.

He was aged 64.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, confirmed the sad development in a tribute post on his official X handle on Thursday.

He wrote, “Good night my dear friend. Rest in Peace, Senator Mpigi Barinada. Sen Mpigi represented Rivers South East in the Senate”.

The Rivers Senator was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works.

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Senator representing Nasarawa South, Mohammed Onawo, also paid glowing tribute to the late Rivers senator and urged his colleagues to honour his memory.

He spoke during the session of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism on Thursday.

First elected in 2011 to the lower house, he was re-elected for a second term in December 2016.

In 2019, he was elected as the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Updated: Rivers Senator Mpigi Barinada dies at 64

Politics

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

Published

1 day ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new turn as the Julius Abure–led faction firmly rejected reconciliation efforts initiated by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, declaring it has no interest in any peace move proposed by him.

In a strongly worded response, the factional National Working Committee (NWC) led by Julius Abure described Governor Otti’s call for unity as dishonest, premature, and ill-fated, insisting that the internal dispute within the party is far from being resolved.

The Abure camp was reacting to Otti’s recent appeal for aggrieved factions within the party to sheathe their swords and work towards rebuilding the LP ahead of future elections. The governor had announced plans to set up a reconciliation committee, stating that the interim leadership would determine the appropriate timing.

However, the Abure faction dismissed the move outright, accusing Otti of playing a central role in triggering and escalating the crisis. According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the governor lacks the moral authority to champion reconciliation.

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“We are not interested in any reconciliation being proposed by Governor Alex Otti because he is largely responsible for the crisis facing the party today,” Ifoh said. He questioned why the governor was rushing reconciliation talks when legal battles over the party’s leadership are still ongoing, stressing that the matter is “far from over.”

The rejection comes amid heightened tensions following the removal of Abure’s leadership details from the INEC portal, a development that further deepened divisions within the opposition party.

Background: How the Labour Party Leadership Crisis Began

The Labour Party crisis stems from a prolonged power struggle over national leadership, which intensified after the 2023 general elections that significantly boosted the party’s national profile.

At the heart of the dispute are two rival factions: one led by Julius Abure, the party’s embattled national chairman, and another aligned with Nenadi Usman, who heads an interim leadership structure.

The crisis escalated when a court of first instance issued an order that effectively recognized the Nenadi Usman–led group as the authentic leadership of the party. Acting on the ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission adjusted its records, delisting the Abure-led NWC from its official portal.

While Abure’s faction has since filed an appeal and maintains that the court ruling is not final, the Usman-aligned camp has continued to operate as the recognized leadership, widening the rift within the party.

Governor Otti, one of the most prominent LP officeholders, has publicly aligned with reconciliation efforts, arguing that internal unity is critical for the party’s survival. However, the Abure faction views his actions as politically motivated interference, rather than a genuine peace initiative.

With legal proceedings still pending and both factions refusing to back down, the Labour Party remains deeply divided, raising fresh concerns about its cohesion and electoral prospects ahead of future political contests.