Okupe's Fraud Conviction Won't Stop Peter Obi - Adeyanju, Ibegbu

Labour Party LP Campaign Chief Doyin Okupe was convicted on Monday of fraud.

DAILY POST reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Okupe to two years in prison for violating money laundering law.

Okupe was convicted on 26 of the 59 charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Judge Ijeoma Ojukwu ordered that all 26 counts, each carrying 2 years in prison, be executed concurrently.

Ojukwu, however, gave a fine option of N500,000 for each of the counts, amounting to N13 million.

She decided that Okupe should be taken to Kuje Correctional Center to serve his jail term if he fails to meet the fine option within the time limit.

The judgment sparked reactions.

Speaking to DAILY POST on the matter, Chuks Ibegbu, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said, “Okupe's conviction would not affect Peter Obi's chances. Obi is a hurricane, a tornado, a bandwagon, a pan-Nigerian movement, so Okupe's sentencing will not affect him.

"This is a move that has shown that Nigerians want to take their country back from the criminals who have held us back for the past few years.

"Okupe has the right to appeal, and until he has explored all of his legal rights, Nigerians cannot determine whether he is guilty or not guilty.

"We are waiting for him to exercise his rights so we can't conclude now but for the hurricane nothing will stop him because Nigerians want their country back from those power vagabonds who have kept us in power. soil for the past 50 years."

Corroborating Ibegbu's position, an Abuja-based activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, said Okupe's conviction would not affect Obi's chances in 2023.

He, however, stressed the need for candidates to do their due diligence before appointing people to their campaign council.

In a conversation with DAILY POST, the activist insisted that the LP's Presidential Campaign CEO cannot be accused of corruption as he could not decipher whether the money he received from ONSA was an illicit fund.

Adeyanju said, "I have now studied excerpts from the judgment of Monsignor Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in the Okupe case and can confirm that it is a sound decision. The basis for his conviction of 'Okupe is on the issue of receiving cash above the prescribed N5 million for individuals as stipulated in the Money Laundering Act.

"I emphasize that Okupe was not in a position to know whether ONSA's money came from an illicit fund and as such no charges can be brought against him for the duty of care will always rest with Dasuki, who should know.

“However, a crime was committed by accepting cash in excess of 5 million naira from Okupe. Doyin Okupe cannot be charged with any corruption as it was not the NSA who stole public funds, but his only mistake is that he violated the MLA by receiving money in excess of the legally prescribed sum. And almost all Nigerians make this mistake.

"Also, I think keeping Okupe as Obi's campaign CEO won't affect him in any way. Yes, I agree that candidates should normally do their due diligence before appointing people in their campaign councils."