Former presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, passes away at 72.

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Dr. Doyin Okupe, the former Presidential spokesperson to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, has passed away.

Okupe, a native of Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, had reportedly been ill for some time. He died early Friday morning in Lagos at the age of 72.

The Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Jamiu Ashimi, confirmed the sad news to our correspondent on Friday, saying, “I have just confirmed the tragic news of Dr. Doyin Okupe’s passing. May his soul rest in peace.”

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

Okupe served as the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan. He was also the former Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign.

However, Okupe’s political journey was not without controversy.

In December 2022, he stepped down from Peter Obi’s campaign after being convicted for violating parts of the Money Laundering Act. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who presided over the case, found Okupe guilty of breaching sections 16(1) & (2) of the Act by accepting cash exceeding the legally allowed threshold without going through a financial institution.

Following the fallout from the 2023 general election, Okupe resigned from the Labour Party and became an outspoken supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, regularly participating in political debates and commentary.

Known for his bold political stance and candid opinions, Okupe navigated Nigeria’s complex political landscape, earning respect as a political figure.

A physician by profession, he co-founded the Royal Cross Medical Centre and also served as the National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention. Additionally, he was a former governorship aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State.