Umar Farouk, the National Secretary of the Labor Party, defended Doyin Okupe, the embattled Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, on Friday, calling his dismissal “null and void.”
The Ogun State Chapter of LP’s leadership expelled Okupe and 10 other party members for claimed “non-financial membership status, political rascality, and misappropriation of funds.”
The affected members were deputy State Chairman II East, Jagun Lookman; State Women Leader, Oluwabukola Soyoye; ex-state Treasurer, Gbadebo Fesomade; State Publicity Secretary, Jide Amusan; State Youth Leader, Abdulmalik Olaleye; Assistant State Youth Leader, Adeshina Shojobi; Senatorial Women Leader Ogun East, Deborah Adewale; Assistant State Secretary, Olatunde Abolade; Abel Olaleye; and Abayomi Collins.
The party hierarchy reacted angrily to their termination with accusations and denials, and Julius Abure, the party’s national chairman, called Obi’s DG firing “false news.”
Abure asserted that the state’s leaders lacked the authority to dismiss him.
Abayomi Arabambi, the party’s national publicity secretary, seemed unconcerned, though, and urged those who were angry over Okupe’s dismissal to file a lawsuit.
Friday after the National Working Committee had an emergency meeting, Farouk announced to reporters that Okupe’s expulsion had been overturned.
The LP national secretary revealed that the former special assistant to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is still a card carrying member and in the PCC while reassuring that a committee has been formed to look into and prosecute the relevant exco members who were responsible for his expulsion.
He stated, “The Ogun state chapter has acted outside its constitutional Jurisdiction. The party has internal conflict resolution mechanism for handling cases against party members as enshrined in the party’s Constitution.
“Therefore, the suspension of Dr. Doyin Okupe from the party by the Ogun state chapter is null and void. He still remains a card-carrying member of the Labour Party and the DG of the PCC.
“The Party is solidly united behind its leads and the leadership of the PCC. We are also not unaware of the attempts by our opposition in some political parties to infiltrate the party’s structure at all levels since it has become obvious the chances of the Labour party’s candidates emerging victorious in the upcoming general elections are becoming brighter every day.
“The party leadership will do everything within its powers. to ensure that our cohesion is not tempered with and will not be distracted by the antics of the opposition as our candidates are already cruising to victory.”
Farouk also bemoaned the recent attacks on our party supporters, members, and candidates in some states, particularly in Edo, Ebonyi and Kaduna States, where one of its Local Government Women leaders was gruesomely murdered.
“We call on the oppositions, particularly the states governors to restrain their thugs as well as the security agencies to be more vigilant and carry out their constitutional responsibility in protecting lives and properties of the citizens,” he stated.
