Dr. Doyin Okupe, the former Director-General of the now-defunct Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organization, has asserted that his trial and subsequent conviction in 2022 were driven by political motives.
In December 19, 2023, Okupe was found guilty by the Federal High Court in Abuja following a prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for involvement in money laundering amounting to N700 million.
He received a two-year jail sentence but was provided with the option to pay a fine instead.
During an appearance on Arise TV on Tuesday, Okupe emphasized that he was not convicted of corruption as some have implied, suggesting that certain individuals within the presidency were targeting him.
Having served as an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Okupe alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government orchestrated his persecution through the anti-graft agency.
Okupe stated, “I was not convicted of corruption. I was acquitted of all 34 corruption charges. Completely acquitted.
“The charge I was found guilty of was money laundering, which is distinct from corruption. The funding I received was under the directive of the President’s National Security Adviser.
“My prosecution was politically motivated. My arrest and trial by the EFCC were acts of malice. It was not a legal process but targeted persecution.
“To convict someone of money laundering, there must be evidence of concealment, which I did not engage in.
“Additionally, there must be direct personal gain from the money received, which was not the case for me, a fact I successfully proved in court.
“Certain individuals within the presidency aimed to penalize me.”