The Labour Party (LP) has announced a placeholder to temporarily fill the position of running mate for its presidential aspirant, Peter Obi.
Doyin Okupe, a former presidential aide, was named to run with the former Anambra governor, the opposition party posted on its Facebook page Friday evening.
TODAY POLITICS understands that Mr Okupe, a fellow southerner like Mr Obi, will be substituted before August, the final deadline for the submission of running mates of presidential candidates.
The opposition party further confirmed it in a clarification update posted minutes later.
“In order to beat INEC deadline to submit VP nominee, Labour Party Nigeria has chosen Chief Doyin Okupe who will hold the space temporarily until a running mate for Peter Obi emerges,” LP explained.
The running mate of the former Anambra governor is expected to come from the Northern part of the country.
The LP is not the only political party to name a placeholder to meet the June 17 deadline as stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The All Progressive Congress (APC) did same by naming Kabir Ibrahim Masari, a politician from Katsina, as a placeholder pending the conclusion of its search for replacement to pair with Bola Tinubu, winner of the APC primary.
