By Chinelo Obogo
Former presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, yesterday, disclosed he has submitted a withdrawal letter as running mate to Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Okupe, in a post on his Twitter handle, said he submitted a withdrawal letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and that the LP national chairman would soon announce whom Obi’s running mate would be.
“This afternoon, I submitted my withdrawal letter from the position of the vice presidential candidate of LP to INEC.
“A replacement will be announced by the national chairman of the party shortly. I feel greatly blessed to have been part of the foundation of success for the LP,” he tweeted.
The former governor of Anambra State had previously submitted Okupe’s name to the electoral commission as his running mate to beat the June 17 deadline set by INEC.
Okupe had earlier said his name has been submitted to INEC in Obi’s form but like the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, he might be replaced later.
“INEC allows you to present a candidate and later on, if you want to substitute, you may do so, if necessary. But if it’s not necessary, you may as well continue.
“So, the present situation is that we believe this Labour Party government is essentially going to be about young Nigerians.
“Those of us who have been part of our sordid past must be prepared to pay the sacrifice, even the personal sacrifice, of allowing a situation we can lift our youths to positions of power and authority,” he said.