‘Atiku, Tinubu Less Popular Than Obi’ – Okupe Denies LP Deal With PDP

Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has denied brokering a deal to support the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar, flagbearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 general elections.

Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson of the APC presidential campaign, had earlier shared a link to an article alleging that Obi had agreed to clear the path for Atiku’s emergence as president.

However, Obi in a statement on Wednesday by the Director General of his Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe, said reports alleging that he has made a deal with Atiku were utterly false.

Okupe said the LP candidate said was ‘far ahead’ of all the other presidential candidates in the country, and as such cannot step down his aspiration for anyone.

He described the reports as cheap, self-serving and distracting propaganda while urging Obi’s supporters to stay focused on the mission to ‘take back’ Nigeria.

“I hereby categorically refute the false statement, making the rounds, that Peter Obi has made any deal with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the PDP, with respect to the 2023 Presidential elections,” the statement read in part.

“By the Grace of God and the massive acceptance and support of the Nigerian people, home and abroad, and especially the youths, Obi is far ahead of all other presidential candidates in the country.

“He, therefore, cannot, logically, be negotiating with any other less popular candidates or their parties.

“Members of the public are hereby advised to ignore this cheap, self-serving and distracting propaganda,” Okupe added.