Catch up with the news!

John Alechenu, Abuja 

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has officially unveiled Akin Osuntokun, as the new Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council.

Obi formally unveiled Osuntokun in Abuja, on Tuesday, hours after the Labour Party,s National Chairman, Julious Abure announced the appointment of the former Political Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday.

Read also: Akin Osuntokun has joined losing side, Fani-Kayode mocks Peter Obi’s new DG 

While fielding questions from journalists after the unveiling ceremony, Obi said for as long as there are Nigerians who are forced to leave their homes to live in Internally Displaced Persons camps, Nigeria remains an IDP camp. 

The LP candidate explained that his aspiration was built on his conviction that Nigerians deserve better leadership than what they were getting at the moment. 

He said, “We are trying to build a better Nigeria. Over this period, I have been traveling, I have been in various states visiting people in difficult positions, and living in IDP camps. 

“If Nigerians are made to leave their homes and live in IDP camps, then Nigeria as a country is an IDP camp because these are Nigerians that should be in their homes. 

“The purpose of government is to care for its citizens and the first line of care is the less privileged, government takes care of the less privileged people. 

“My commitment is to ensure that every Nigerian sleeps and wakes up feeling proud to be a Nigerian and not live in an IDP camp. 

In response to a question on the latest projection by THISDAY Newspaper placing him at a disadvantage in comparison to other contestants, Obi said, “Projection is different from (opinion) polls. A poll is when you ask actual people, a projection is when you imagine, they are two different things.”

He expressed confidence that Nigerian youths whom he described as hardworking and resourceful are determined this time around to work with progressive-minded elders to take back the country and make it work for all. 

According to him, Nigerian youths are not lazy they are only looking for opportunities to compete favourably with their contemporaries on the global stage. 

He noted that the kind of leadership he and his team were offering Nigerians is one that would  turn such dreams into reality. 

Earlier, he explained that replacing Okupe as Campaign DG does not mean a change in strategy. 

He noted that the party’s campaign strategy remains the same with a commitment to take back Nigeria from the forces that have brought it to ruins. 

Osuntokun took over from Dr. Doyin Okupe, who resigned from the position earlier. 

This effectively ended weeks of speculations about the possible replacement for Doyin Okupe.

Okupe had resigned from the position to appeal his conviction for money laundering. 

He paid N13million as the option of a fine to avoid a two-year jail term that he would have served for the offence.

Until his appointment, Osuntokun was the Zonal Coordinator(South), of the Obi-Datti Campaign. 

He is a trained Nigerian political scientist, strategist, researcher, administrator, journalist, and writer, with experience in media advocacy, policy research and implementation, and political analysis. 

He was also at one time  Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria,  Osuntokun served as Political Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and as Director of the Presidential campaign of the People’s Democratic Party in 2011. 

He is reputed to bring along with him to his new position,  a vast political and media experience.