Voting for Peter Obi in 2027 helps Tinubu - Kenneth Okonkwo

A leader of the African Democratic Congress, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said that any votes for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, in the 2027 election will ultimately help President Bola Tinubu.

In a chat with Symfoni TV on Wednesday, Okonkwo stressed that opposition groups need to come together on one platform if they want to have a real shot at beating the current president.

He pointed out that political experts have warned that a split in the opposition will only increase Tinubu’s chances of winning 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.

He criticized Obi’s reported choice to leave the ADC coalition talks. He believes the former governor of Anambra State does not want to take part in a tough primary process.

"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, who once spoke for the Labour Party, also said that Senator Victor Umeh from Anambra South once suggested that the best chance for the South-East to get a president was through teaming up with northern leaders.

"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 said that Umeh told him Obi was not keen on taking 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.

Okonkwo urged opposition supporters to think carefully about their political choices as the next general election approaches.

"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.