The Labour Party vice presidential candidate for 2023 after fruitless talks with NNPP.
Okupe while fielding questions from Seun, a presenter with The Channels Televison, on Politics Today, said that his name has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by his party.
“I stand in as the vice presidential candidate of the party. “Labour party has submitted my name as the VP of the party”, he said.
Recall that Friday June 17 is the deadline for the submission of names of vice presidential candidate of all political party involved in the general elections.
Okupe while narrating how his party is going to oust the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, said LP will ensure it returns Nigeria to its rightful owners, noting that Nigerians have suffered so much in the hands of APC.
However, Okupe with his statement would be the running mate of the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP and Former Governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi.
But were later changed to Kwankwaso the former governor of Kano State , As the former presidential aide to Olusegun Obasanjo confirmed that he was just a placeholder until the ongoing consultations and coalition in the Labor Party were concluded.
He said we are considering someone much less in age to Obi and of northern descent as Labour Party Vice Presidential Candidate 2023 the running mate to Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Okupe said, “Nigerian youths must move closer to the Labour Party because we are prepared to make any sacrifice to have them take back the country.
These 2 parties NNPP and LP Kwankwaso and Peter Obi went into talks to see how they can merge as one family but unfortunate the talks was fruitless as Kwankwaso said he can not deputize Peter Obi in other words he can not be a running mate with Peter Obi Only if Peter Obi will be his running mate.
The merger talk ended 15th of june 2022 and the both parties went back to their different parties and continued their search for running mates , After extensive search and consultant LP finally selected Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as the running mate.
Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed is a Nigerian economist and politician who served as Senator for Kaduna North from 2011 to 2012 and member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007.