Akin Osuntokun | |
Occupation: | Political strategist |
Birth Place: | Okemesi, Ekiti, Nigeria |
Education: | University of Lagos |
Office: | Obi-Datti 2023 Presidential Campaign Council Director-General |
Term Start: | 27 December 2022 |
Predecessor: | Doyin Okupe |
Office2: | Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria |
Term Start2: | 2011 |
Term End2: | 2015 |
Successor2: | Bayo Onanuga |
Office3: | Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo |
Term Start3: | 1999 |
Term End3: | 2007 |
Akin Osuntokun (born 24 November 1961) is a Nigerian political scientist, strategist, researcher, administrator, journalist and writer, with experience in media advocacy, policy research and implementation and political analysis.[1] Akin Osuntokun was appointed as a Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.[2] In 2011, Mr Akin Osuntokun became the Director of the Presidential Campaign of the People's Democratic Party in the 2011 general elections. On 27 December 2022, he was announced by the Nigerian Labor Party as the Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, to lead the 2023 presidential election campaign of a former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi[3] after the resignation of Doyin Okupe [4]
Akin Osuntokun has served as chairman of Odua Printing and publishing corporation, News Agency of Nigeria, sat on the board of several public corporations and also contributes to newspaper columns.[5] Akin Osuntokun is the current Balogun of Okemesi - which translates to the war commander of Okemesi Ekiti where he hails from. This title was once held by Fabunmi of Okemesi, who led the Kiriji War between 1877 and 1893.[6] In July 2021, Balogun Akin Osuntokun was named by the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi as the chairman of the Ooni caucus alongside 27 other members some of which include the Olugbon of Igbon, Oba Olusola Alao; Senator Biodun Olujimi, Toyin Saraki, Segun Awolowo, Doyin Okupe, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Prince Oye Oyewumi, Muyiwa Ige, General Olu Okunnowo, DIG Taiwo Lakanu (retd), General Secretary, Afenifere, Mr Sola Ebiseni; Jimi Agbaje, Sola Lawal, Debola Oluwagbayi, Dupe Adelaja, Dele Momodu, Senator Tolu Odebiyi, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Dr Seun Obasanjo, Makin Soyinka, Dele Adesina (SAN), AIG Tunji Alapinni (retd.), Dr Reuben Abati, Eniola Bello, Bimbo Ashiru, Senator Tokunbo Ogunbanjo and Dapo Adelegan.[7] [8] Osuntokun is a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, FNAL. He is equally a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, FNIIA. He was academic visiting fellow at the school of global and area studies, University of Oxford, 2019-2020