Doyin Okupe

Adedoyin Ajibike Okupe (22 March 1952 – 7 March 2025), better known as Doyin Okupe, was a Nigerian physician and politician who co-founded Royal Cross Medical Centre and was the National Publicity Secretary of National Republican Convention (NRC). He was once detained under General Sani Abacha, and subsequently disqualified from participating in United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) primaries; later on, he was a governorship aspirant of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. Okupe was Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Background Born on 22 March 1952 in Iperu, now in Ogun State, in British-ruled Nigeria, Okupe was the son of Chief Matthew Adekoya Okupe, who was a banker with Agbonmagbe Bank. He attended St. Jude's School in Ebute Metta, Lagos, Igbobi College in Yaba, Lagos and the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, Oyo State. He was the Managing Director (MD) of Royal Cross Medical Centre. Later on, in 2002, he was one of the governorship aspirants of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Ogun State, and was a major contender along with Gbenga Daniel. In July 2017, he announced his decision to leave the PDP to join the Accord Party, but for accepting to be the Chairman of the Campaign Media Council of Bukola Saraki for the 2019 presidential primaries of the PDP, the Accord Party expelled him in September 2018. He subsequently returned to the PDP, and became a spokesman of the Presidential Campaign Organisation of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP candidate for president in the 2019 Nigerian presidential election.

Legal issues It was reported in August 2012 that Okupe and his companies were probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and accused of failing to execute road construction contracts awarded to his companies in 2004 by Benue State and in 2005 by Imo State.

In July 2016, it was alleged that ₦702 million of the embezzled $2 billion in the $2 billion arms deal or Dasukigate at the office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Colonel Sambo Dasuki was traced to Okupe by the EFCC. On 14 January 2019, the EFCC arraigned Okupe before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a 59-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and diversion of funds to the tune of ₦702 million. While Okupe supported the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 Nigerian General Election, his son Ditan supported Muhammadu Buhari. He and his son Bolu supported Peter Obi for the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.

In May 2020, it was reported that Okupe and his wife, Aduralere tested positive COVID-19 on 23 April 2020 and had recovered.

Okupe died after a long battle with cancer at a hospital in Lagos, on 7 March 2025, at the age of 72.