The Director-General of the Labour Party Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe has resigned his position.
The development was contained in a letter he addressed to the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi on Tuesday.
Sharing the letter on his official Twitter handle, Okupe wrote, “It’s time to step aside. But I am with PO and the Obidients and the Presidential Campaigns till God gives us victory in Jesus Name”.
Okupe’s resignation followed his conviction for breaching the Money Laundering Act by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday.
The Labour Party chieftain, who was formerly a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was subsequently sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Justice Ojukwu held that “there is no evidence that the money received by Mr Okupe passed through any financial institution”.
She also noted that the NSA was not a financial institution, and even if the president was said to have authorized the funds, he did not say that the money must be paid in cash, in violation of the money laundering act.
The court found the first defendant, Doyin Okupe guilty in count 34, 35, 36 to 59.
The defendant was found not guilty in counts 1 to 33 on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish the charge of money Laundering and criminal breach of trust and corruption against the NSA.
In counts 34 to 59 upon which Mr Okupe was convicted, he was accused of receiving various sums ranging from N10 million on different occasions from 2012 to 2015 when he was SSA to president Jonathan.
The said sum, according to him, were expended on running the office, payment of staff and image laundering of the former president and his administration.
But the court held that receiving such amounts in cash violated the Money Laundering Act.
Shortly after his conviction, his lawyer Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy on the grounds that the defendant was a first time offender, a family man who is also advanced in age, with health challenges he is currently treating in Nigeria and outside the country.
Mr Oronsaye, citing Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, urged the court to stand down the matter to enable him call witnesses that will attest to the good character of Mr Okupe.
The court heard from a witness who pleaded with the court for leniency.
Justice Ojukwu subsequently sentenced Doyin Okupe to 2 years imprisonment on count 34 with an option of a fine of N500,000
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