Kenneth Okonkwo: Voting for Peter Obi in 2027 Will Benefit Tinubu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has argued that any vote cast for Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election would ultimately work in favour of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during an interview with Symfoni TV on Wednesday, Okonkwo said opposition parties must unite behind a single candidate if they hope to defeat the incumbent president in the next general election.

According to him, a fragmented opposition would only improve Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term.

“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 spokesman also criticised Obi’s reported decision to withdraw from coalition talks within the ADC, claiming the former presidential candidate was unwilling to participate in a competitive primary election.

“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 further claimed that Victor Umeh had previously suggested that the South-East’s best opportunity to produce a Nigerian president would be through a political alliance with northern leaders.

According to Okonkwo, Umeh told him that Obi’s most realistic path to the presidency could involve serving as a vice-presidential candidate within a broader coalition arrangement.

“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,” Okonkwo claimed.

He also alleged that Umeh had informed him that Obi was reluctant to accept such 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 urged opposition supporters to carefully consider the implications of their political decisions ahead of the 2027 election.

“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.

The remarks add to the ongoing debate within opposition circles over whether a united coalition is necessary to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election.

Short URL: https://www.africanexaminer.com/?p=107509