A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has warned that any presidential bid by Labour Party’s 2023 candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2027 election could weaken the opposition and inadvertently strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term.
Speaking during an interview on Symfoni TV on Wednesday, Okonkwo stressed the need for opposition parties to unite under a single political platform to mount a credible challenge against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He argued that a fragmented opposition would divide votes and ultimately work in favour of the incumbent president.
“The reason I said it is that either you’re working for Tinubu directly by being in the 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 also criticised Obi’s reported withdrawal from coalition talks within the ADC, alleging that the former Anambra State governor was unwilling to participate in a competitive presidential primary. Okonkwo further claimed that Senator Victor Umeh had previously indicated that the South-East’s best chance at producing a president would be through a strategic alliance with northern political interests, with Obi potentially emerging as a vice-presidential candidate.
