A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Kenneth Okonkwo, has cautioned supporters of the presidential ambition of Peter Obi against pursuing a separate political path in the 2027 general election, arguing that such a move could inadvertently improve the chances of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu securing a second term in office.
Okonkwo made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV on Wednesday, where he stressed the importance of opposition unity ahead of the next presidential election.
According to him, the opposition must rally behind a common platform and candidate if it hopes to mount a credible challenge against the incumbent administration in 2027.
He maintained that a divided opposition would only make it easier for President Tinubu and the ruling party to retain power, regardless of the popularity of individual opposition figures.
Explaining his position, Okonkwo said that every vote cast for opposition candidates outside a united coalition would ultimately work to the advantage of the president.
“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.
The former spokesman of the Labour Party also faulted Obi’s reported withdrawal from coalition discussions within the African Democratic Congress, suggesting that the former presidential candidate was unwilling to participate in a competitive primary election process.
Okonkwo argued that leadership contests are a normal part of democratic politics and should not be avoided by anyone seeking the nation’s highest office.
“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 stated.
He further alleged that Victor Umeh had previously promoted the idea of a political alliance between the South-East and northern political interests as a strategic pathway to the presidency.
According to Okonkwo, Umeh had informed him that Obi was reluctant to embrace the proposed political strategy despite repeated suggestions.
“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,” he claimed.
The ADC chieftain reiterated that opposition supporters should carefully consider the broader implications of their political choices as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
He insisted that backing separate opposition candidacies rather than a united front could weaken efforts to challenge the ruling party and ultimately benefit the incumbent president.
“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 said.
The comments come amid increasing political realignments, coalition talks and strategic consultations among opposition figures seeking to build alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with debates continuing over whether a united opposition ticket offers the best chance of defeating the ruling party.
