2023: Peter Obi, Kwankwaso merger has been dead for four weeks – Doyin Okupe makes revelations

Doyin Okupe, who is the Director-General of Peter Obi Campaign Organisation, has claimed that the alliance between the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate and his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has been “dead” for over four weeks.

Okupe, speaking on Channels Television’s Politic Today on Tuesday, accused Kwankwaso of trying to take advantage of Obi’s popularity.

“The Labour Party and its presidential candidate has long withdrawn from that conversation.

“It was the NNPP that continued to try and benefit from the traction of Peter Obi.

“As an elder statesman, out of maturity I decided we will not take them on media-wise, so we kept quiet. But they kept going on.

“That alliance has been dead for over four weeks. I was the leader of the team that went to talk with Kwankwaso and we reached a deadlock,” he said.

Okupe also revealed that the LP made it clear in discussions with Kwankwaso that they were not ready to back another Muslim Northerner to become president, after Muhammadu Buhari steps down in 2023.

Recall that last week, Kwankwaso alleged that the South East will not allow Obi to become his running mate.