“The Only Way Out": Ex-Obi's Ally Okonkwo Mentions What Must Be Done to Unseat Tinubu in 2027

• Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo urged Nigeria’s opposition parties to unite and present a credible alternative to the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 elections
• Okonkwo criticised the APC’s focus on power retention amid rising insecurity and poverty
• He stressed that leadership should be decided by Nigerians, not closed-door deals, and disclosed he remains active in politics through a forming coalition aiming to offer a new direction beyond the Labour Party

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, legal practitioner and spokesperson for the Labour Party during the 2023 elections, has urged opposition parties to come together to form a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okonkwo made his remarks in an interview on Arise TV following the APC Northwest’s endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

APC endorsement sparks debate amid national challenges

The endorsement included a vote of confidence in Tinubu and automatic second-term tickets for APC governors in the region.

However, it has sparked a national debate about the party’s priorities in the face of rising insecurity and poverty.

“It is shameful that at a time when people are being killed, like the 15 people reportedly murdered this morning in Agatu Local Government Area, Benue State, and the Northwest is grappling with the highest rate of out-of-school children and poverty, leaders are preoccupied with elections still two years away,” Okonkwo said.

He described the endorsement as an unrepresentative gathering of political elites, disconnected from the needs of over 60 million people in the Northwest, Vanguard reported.

“Democracy is about the people, not a group of sycophants seeking power for its own sake,” he added.

Okonkwo: Opposition must unite to defeat APC in 2027

Okonkwo attributed the opposition’s failure in 2023 to fragmentation, which allowed a minority party with just 37 per cent of votes to win the presidency.

“The only way to get APC out of power in 2027 is for the opposition to unite. Nigerians deserve a government rooted in integrity, competence, and a commitment to public welfare, not one focused on power retention,” he declared.

APC’s ‘palm wine politics’ undermines stability

He criticised what he called the APC’s “palm wine politics”, likening the party’s inconsistent ideology and rampant defections to the changing taste of palm wine, Nation reported.

“Today, they support Tinubu. Tomorrow, they’ll jump ship. That’s the instability the APC represents,” Okonkwo said.

Labour Party’s future and political arrangements

Asked about discussions between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi on a possible one-term presidency and a vice-presidential offer, Okonkwo said leadership decisions should be made by Nigerians, not through closed-door political deals.

Speaking on the Labour Party, he acknowledged its pro-worker principles but expressed concern over new candidates joining without fully embracing its values. Although he left the party due to internal challenges, Okonkwo remains active in politics.

“I am part of a coalition that is still in the formative stages. We’re not rushing into platforms, but when we emerge, Nigerians will hear from us. We may not change the beginning of our story, but we can certainly change how it ends. And I believe we will succeed,” he said.

2027 election: Atiku's camp offers Obi VP

Previously, Legit.ng reported that ahead of the 2027 election, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, had reportedly offered Peter Obi a vice-presidential role.

Atiku asked Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, to be his lieutenant in a joint single-term ticket.

Source: Legit.ng