Kenneth Okonkwo, former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) during the 2023 general elections, has urged Nigeria’s opposition parties to form a united front to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Okonkwo responded to the recent endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the APC’s sole presidential candidate by the party’s Northwest chapter. The endorsement also included a vote of confidence in the President and an automatic second-term ticket for APC governors in the region.
The endorsement has sparked public outcry amid growing concerns over insecurity, economic hardship, and governance failures.
Okonkwo criticized the move as poorly timed and tone-deaf. “It is shameful that while lives are being lost—as seen in the killing of 15 people in Agatu LGA of Benue State just this morning—and with the Northwest battling the highest rate of out-of-school children and poverty, political leaders are already focused on elections that are two years away,” he said.
Describing the gathering as an elitist exercise disconnected from the realities of ordinary Nigerians, Okonkwo emphasized that democracy should prioritize the people, not political power plays.
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, he blamed the failure of the opposition on fragmentation, which enabled a party with just 37 percent of the vote to secure the presidency. “The only way to remove the APC in 2027 is through a united opposition. Nigerians deserve leadership grounded in integrity and public service, not self-interest,” he stated.
Okonkwo also criticized what he called the “palm wine politics” of the APC, saying the party’s ideological inconsistency and frequent defections are as unpredictable as the changing taste of palm wine.
Commenting on reports of ongoing talks between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi regarding a possible one-term presidency deal, Okonkwo stressed that leadership should be determined by the people, not backroom deals.
Although no longer a member of the Labour Party due to internal challenges, Okonkwo affirmed his continued political involvement. He expressed concern about opportunistic candidates diluting the LP’s pro-worker values but revealed he is now part of a new political coalition still in its early stages.
“We’re not in a rush to jump on any platform. But when we finally step out, Nigerians will know. We may not be able to change the beginning of our story, but we can definitely change how it ends—and I believe we will succeed,” he said.
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