Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has argued that any votes cast for Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2027 presidential election would ultimately favour President Bola Tinubu. Speaking during an interview on Symfoni TV on Wednesday, Okonkwo said opposition parties must unite under a single platform if they hope to defeat the incumbent president in the next general election.
According to him, political analysts have repeatedly warned that a fragmented opposition would only improve Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term in office. “The reason I said it is that either you’re working for Tinubu directly, in other words, you’re in APC, or you’re working for Tinubu indirectly because when you divide the votes of the coalition and the opposition, you’re still making Tinubu better placed to win,” Okonkwo said.
The former Labour Party spokesperson criticised Obi’s reported decision to withdraw from coalition discussions within the ADC, alleging that the former Anambra State governor was unwilling to participate in a competitive presidential primary. “Nobody forced Peter Obi to enter ADC. He entered on his own, and one week to the end of the closure of the time, he left and gave the reason. You can’t compete in a primary, and you want to be a politician. You want to be the president of a challenged country, and you’re running away from challenge,” he said.
Okonkwo also claimed that Anambra South Senator, Victor Umeh, had previously suggested that the South-East’s most viable path to producing a Nigerian president was through a political alliance with leaders from Northern Nigeria. According to Okonkwo, Umeh conveyed the position to him during discussions surrounding the ADC coalition efforts. “When we were all entering ADC, Victor Umeh made it clear and spoke to me directly that the only chance the Igbo people have is to align with the North and for our brother Peter Obi to be a vice president,” he claimed.
Okonkwo further alleged that Umeh had informed him that Obi was reluctant to accept such political advice. “I told him, ‘Have you told Obi?’ He said yes, but that Peter Obi is very stubborn. That if you tell him anything, he would not believe but would continue to try,” Okonkwo said.
The ADC chieftain maintained that opposition supporters should carefully weigh the consequences of their political choices ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that a divided opposition would only strengthen the ruling party’s position. “Let me tell you the truth, in 2027, anybody voting any vote whatsoever to Peter Obi, you’re voting for Tinubu, and don’t say that I didn’t tell you,” he stated.
Okonkwo’s comments add to the ongoing debate over coalition-building among opposition parties as political actors begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
