Obituary

Ex-Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, Dies at 72

By Web News 228

A former Presidential spokesperson to former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Doyin Okupe, is dead.

Okupe, from Iperu-Remo, Ikenne Local Government area of Ogun State, who was said to have been sick for some time, died in the early hours of Friday in Lagos at the age of 72.

The Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Jamiu Ashimi, confirmed the demise of the medical doctor turned politician to our Correspondent on Friday.

Ashimi said, “I just confirmed the tragic news of the passing of Dr Doyin Okupe. May his soul rest in peace”.

A friend to the late politician, Chief Michael Adesanya, the Asojuoba of Isara Remo, also in a phone conversation with our correspondent, said, “Dr Okupe has been confirmed to have died early Friday morning in Lagos”.

Okupe was Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan.

He was also a former Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign.

However, his political journey was marked by controversies.

In December 2022, Okupe stepped down from Obi’s campaign after being convicted of breaching some parts of the money laundering acts.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu presiding over the case found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act and accepting cash in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act without going through a financial institution.

He later resigned from the Labour Party following the 2023 general election fallout and became a vocal supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, frequently engaging in political debates and commentary.

Okupe was known for his bold political stance and unfiltered opinions. His ability to navigate Nigeria’s complex political landscape made him a respected political figure

He was a physician who co-founded Royal Cross Medical Centre and was the National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention.

The late politician was a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State.

Security

EFCC Releases Doyin Okupe

By Web News 561

The former Director-General (DG) of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Doyin Okupe, said he has been released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos.

One of Okupe’s lawyers, Tolu Babaleye who spoke to newsmen on the subject matter, on Thursday, said the DSS asked him to provide court processes where he paid the fine option following his money laundering conviction by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Subsequently, he was handed over to the EFCC, with the Spokesman of the Service, Peter Afunanya, confirming Okupe “was intercepted at the instance of the EFCC”.

The Ogun-born politician fumed at the development. According to him, EFCC officials later apologised for embarrassing him.

Doyin Okupe, was reportedly arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

One of Okupe’s lawyers, Tolu Babaleye confirmed this on Facebook on Thursday, saying the former DG was on his way to London when he was arrested.

He claimed that the DSS asked him to provide court processes where he paid the fine option following his money laundering conviction by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“The reason according to the source is that he was asked to produce evidence that the Federal High Court Abuja has freed him from the case in which he was convicted and paid a fine to the knowledge of the whole world and was allowed to go home.

“When will this harassment stop? Who is after Dr. Okupe? As of today, the man has no case to answer, I hereby demand that the DSS should release my client immediately as this is a violation of his freedom of movement, right to liberty and dignity as a human person. This is unfair as the man’s health is fast failing,” he stated.

Muzha Kucha

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