Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh and former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, have credited the late media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi, with playing a decisive role in thwarting former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term agenda.
The duo spoke in Abuja at the 2nd Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi Diamond Lecture, jointly organised by DAAR Communications and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), themed “Communication and Development.”
Momoh recalled that during the controversial bid to amend the Constitution to allow Obasanjo a third term, Dokpesi used a mix of personal persuasion and media influence to mobilise opposition and defend democracy.
“Many have taken credit for stopping the third term, but Dokpesi deserves special recognition,” Momoh said.
“As a lawmaker then, I remember him calling me personally, saying, ‘You are my brother. Work with your people to make sure it doesn’t succeed.’”
He explained that the AIT and Raypower FM founder quietly reached out to legislators, warning them of the dangers of constitutional manipulation and urging resistance against the plan.
Oshiomhole, who now represents Edo North in the Senate, recounted that Dokpesi made his media platforms freely available for open debate, enabling lawmakers and citizens to discuss the issue transparently.
“Dokpesi used his station to promote national dialogue, not to attack the country,” Oshiomhole said.
“AIT broadcast National Assembly sessions live, allowing Nigerians to hold their representatives accountable. That transparency helped stop the third-term bid.”
He noted that Dokpesi’s approach demonstrated how media could serve national interest, not partisanship.
“My only complaint, which I told him before his passing, was that he gave his station to a political party that didn’t reciprocate his loyalty,” Oshiomhole added.
Also speaking, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule praised Dokpesi’s integrity and lamented what he described as rising sycophancy in Nigerian politics, where leaders face flattery in public but criticism in private.
President of the NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, described Dokpesi as a visionary and pathfinder who democratized access to information and gave voice to ordinary Nigerians.
“For Dr. Dokpesi, communication was not just about media; it was about meaning, connecting truth to people, citizens to leaders, and nations to the world,” Neliaku said.
