Obi’s Campaign Director-General Resigns After Paying N13M Fine To Avoid Jail

The Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate, Doyin Okupe, has resigned from his position to lead Peter Obi’s campaign for the upcoming general election, barely 24 hours after paying a N13 million fine to escape from spending two years behind the bars in the country.

Okupe, who was found guilty of money laundering under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, said that his decision was to avoid distractions that could affect Obi’s dream of leading the country to a destination Nigerians were currently yearning for.

The former Presidential aide announced his decision to step down on Tuesday through a letter written to the LP, Presidential candidate, stating reasons for his actions.

In a letter, signed by the former Campaign Director, he noted that it was better not to allow his personal interest to distract Obi’s campaign and that of the party, hence his decision to step aside.

According to the letter, Dear Peter, you will recall that I briefed you yesterday about my travails in seeking justice and clearing my name using the Nigerian Legal System to pursue same,” the letter read in part.

“I have invested too much in your campaign to allow my personal travails to become a source of distraction. In the circumstances, I have opted to step aside and plead that you appoint a new Campaign DG who can continue the assignment with zero distractions. God bless you and your family.”

This followed a judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja which found the embattled LP presidential campaign DG guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in her ruling yesterday held that the action of Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), violated the Money Laundering Act.

The court consequently held that the first defendant, Dr Okupe was guilty in counts 34, 35, 36, and 59.

Shortly after his conviction, Okupe had taken to Twitter to blame his “enemies” for his legal travails.

“God is not man. The enemies have tried in so many ways but kept on failing. Victory is of God.”.