Doyin Okupe, the former director-general of the Labour Party presidential campaign, has said that Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, was unknown in political circles when he first ventured into politics in 1978.

Okupe claimed that Obi’s presidential ambition led him to contest against Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, who had brought him into national politics.

He made the claim in a viral video.

Okupe stated that he decided to withdraw his support for Obi due to a loss of interest in working with him.

The 72-year-old politician said that his life and political destiny cannot be tied to Obi’s ambition.

He said: “They said I betrayed Obi. No. How can I betray him? I started politics in 1978. Obi was nowhere else. My life and political destiny cannot be tied to Obi’s ambition. I wish Obi well, but I am done with him. We wanted to achieve something, but we couldn’t achieve it.

“Obi was the vice-presidential candidate of Atiku Abubakar in 2019. He brought him to the national limelight. Because of his own ambition, which was correct and due, Obi left the party and contested against Atiku. If people said I betrayed Obi, what did Obi do to Atiku? It is not fair.

“It is Obi’s interest in 2023 that made him go on a collision course against his former master. Obi was not my master; I was his supporter. If I supported him up to a point and decided to go back and be myself, how can that be an offence?”