A former presidential aide, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has passed away at the age of 72.

Family sources confirmed his death to Channels Television on Friday, stating that he died in the early hours of the day. Okupe hailed from Ogun State.

In a tribute to the late politician, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun described Okupe’s passing as a “personal loss.”

“Receiving the news of the passing of my elder brother, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has left me with a profound sense of personal loss, especially coming so soon after the transition of the Alaperu of Iperu Remo, Oba Adeleke Idowu-Basibo. Without a doubt, Dr. Okupe’s departure leaves a void that will not be easily filled,” the governor said in a statement.

“Beyond his political and professional engagements, Dr. Okupe was an affable, easy-going, and principled individual who, despite never flaunting his credentials, played a significant role in Nigeria’s resistance to military rule. Like many other democracy advocates, he endured detention and persecution under military regimes, standing firm in his convictions.”

Governor Abiodun extended his condolences to the Okupe family and prayed for the “Almighty God to grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

Last year, Okupe revealed his battle with cancer, which he said had led to significant weight loss.

“It was partly due to the cancer I had, and the chemotherapy caused loss of appetite and nausea. When you go through that for several months, you naturally lose weight,” he said in an edition of Channels Television’s Political Paradigm.

“When I started chemotherapy, I was 127kg, and then I came down to 97kg… The chemotherapy ended, and I went back to 103kg.”

Dr. Okupe, a trained medical doctor, started his career as a health practitioner before venturing into politics.

In 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs. He later served as the Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign for the 2023 election and played a key role in the party’s campaign efforts. However, he left the LP citing ideological differences.

Born in Iperu, Ogun State, Okupe attended St Jude’s School and Igbobi College, both in Lagos. He later proceeded to the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, where he studied medicine.