He stated that, in hindsight, he now recognizes Tinubu as the best candidate for the job.
A combo of Okupe and Tinubu
Former presidential aide Doyin Okupe has praised President Bola Tinubu as the best among all the candidates who contested the 2023 presidential election. Tinubu won the election, with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party finishing second and third, respectively.
Okupe, who initially served as Peter Obi’s campaign director, acknowledged that hindsight has shown Tinubu to be the best fit for the role. “Let me tell you, of all the people that actually ran for President in 2023, by the benefit of hindsight, Bola Tinubu is the best,” Okupe said. “I have seen Peter Obi, I have been with Atiku Abubakar, and I knew Bola Tinubu many years ago. Although I haven’t seen him in the last 7 to 8 years, he stands out in terms of capability, commitment, and knowledge.”
Okupe noted that Nigerians should not judge Tinubu’s administration in the same manner as previous administrations, as Tinubu assumed office after what seemed like eight years of neglected governance. He argued that one year is too short to evaluate the current administration and urged Nigerians to give Tinubu more time to prove his capabilities.
When asked if his statement was a betrayal to Obi, whom he campaigned for, Okupe disagreed. He explained that his support for Obi was based on their mutual belief that a Southerner should be president, which prompted their exit from the PDP. Okupe traveled across the country with Obi to garner support ahead of the PDP primary. When their efforts in the PDP didn’t succeed, they both joined the Labour Party, with Okupe becoming Obi’s campaign director-general.
Okupe later resigned from his position following a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja that found him guilty of receiving over N200 million in cash from former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki. In his resignation letter, Okupe stated that it was better not to let his personal issues distract Obi’s campaign and the party’s efforts.
In January, Okupe also resigned from the Labour Party, citing ideological differences.
