Dr. Doyin Okupe, the former Director-General of the now defunct Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organization, staunchly maintains that his trial and subsequent conviction in 2022 were driven by political motives.
On the 19th of December 2023, the Federal High Court in Abuja found Okupe guilty of money laundering amounting to N700 million. Following prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, he was sentenced to a two-year prison term, with the possibility of opting for a fine instead.
During an appearance on Arise TV, he explicitly stated that he was not convicted of corruption, contrary to what has been suggested in certain circles. Okupe went on to allege that certain factions within the presidency had targeted him.
Having previously served as an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Okupe contended that the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), leveraged the anti-corruption agency to exact punishment on him.
He said:
“I was never convicted of corruption. I was discharged from all 34 charges of corruption. I was discharged completely.
“What I was convicted of was money laundering which is not corruption. I was being funded under the directive of Mr President by the NSA.
“My trial was politically motivated. My arrest and prosecution by the EFCC was malicious. It was not even a prosecution but persecution.
“For you to convict someone of money laundering, there must be concealment but I have never concealed anything.
“Secondly, there must be a direct benefit to the person who collected the money but there was no direct benefit to me and I was able to prove that in the court.
“Some people inno the presidency wanted to punish me”.
