Apparently to beat the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political parties to submit names of their candidates for the 2023 General Elections, the Labour Party (LP) on Friday named veteran politician and former Presidential Spokesperson, Dr. Doyin Okupe, as its Vice Presidential candidate.
But Okupe who explained the circumstances that threw him up to be the Vice Presidential candidate to the party’s flag bearer Peter Obi, said he is holding the position in trust for the rightful owner.
He insists that the party took this route to beat the Friday, June 17, 2022 deadline set by INEC for the submission of names of candidates.
He added that LP is open to formation of a behemoth of political force to fight All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming presidential election.
Dr. Doyin Okupe is the current Director General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Council
In the 2023 general elections timetable released by INEC in February, the deadline for the substitution of Presidential or Vice Presidential candidates is July 15th 2022 and some political parties are currently taking advantage of this window including the APC to name placeholder running mates.