Dr. Doyin Okupe, former spokesperson to ex-Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, has passed away at the age of 72.

Okupe, a native of Iperu-Remo in Ogun State’s Ikenne Local Government Area, died in the early hours of Friday in Lagos after a prolonged illness.

His death was confirmed by the Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Jamiu Ashimi, who said, “I just confirmed the tragic news of the passing of Dr. Doyin Okupe. May his soul rest in peace.”

A close associate, Chief Michael Adesanya, the Asojuoba of Isara Remo, also verified the news, stating that Okupe passed away early Friday morning in Lagos.

Okupe was a seasoned politician and media strategist. He served as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and later as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan. In 2023, he was the Director-General of Peter Obi’s presidential campaign under the Labour Party before resigning due to legal challenges.

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His political career was not without controversy. In December 2022, he was convicted of violating the Money Laundering Act by accepting cash beyond the legally permitted limit without going through a financial institution. He later stepped down from Obi’s campaign and resigned from the Labour Party following the fallout of the 2023 general elections.

Despite his legal battles, Okupe remained an influential figure in Nigerian politics. In his later years, he became a strong supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and frequently engaged in political commentary.

A trained physician, Okupe co-founded the Royal Cross Medical Centre and was once the National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC). He also made a bid for the Ogun State governorship under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Nigeria’s political and media landscape.