Voting for Peter Obi in 2027 is a vote for Tinubu — Kenneth Okonkwo

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has said that votes cast for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in the 2027 election would ultimately favour President Bola Tinubu.

 

Speaking during an interview with Symfoni TV, Okonkwo argued that opposition parties must unite behind a single platform if they hope to defeat the incumbent president.

 

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,” he said.

 

Okonkwo criticised Obi’s reported decision to withdraw from coalition talks involving the ADC, claiming the former Anambra State governor 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.

 

The former Labour Party spokesman also alleged that Senator Victor Umeh had previously suggested that the South-East’s best chance of producing a president was through a political alliance 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 further alleged that Umeh had informed Obi of the strategy but that the former governor was reluctant to embrace it.

 

“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.

 

He urged opposition supporters to carefully consider the implications of their political choices ahead of the 2027 general 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 added.