Former Presidential Spokesman, Doyin Okupe, Dies At 71

Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former presidential spokesperson and ex-Director-General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign, has passed away at the age of 71.

Okupe, a trained physician who transitioned into politics, died on Friday morning. His death marks the end of a career spanning decades in both the medical and political spheres.

A seasoned political strategist, Okupe served as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan. He was also a co-founder of the Royal Cross Medical Centre and played a pivotal role as the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) during the aborted Third Republic.

During the military regime of General Sani Abacha, Okupe was detained and later barred from contesting primaries under the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP).

In his later years, he gained prominence as the spokesman for the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign before parting ways with the party. He eventually became an advocate for the administration of President Bola Tinubu, shifting political alliances in his final political engagements.

Okupe hailed from the distinguished Agbonmagbe family of Iperu-Remo in Ogun State. His passing leaves a significant void in Nigeria’s political landscape.