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By Lawrence Agbo
Former Labour Party spokesperson and ADC chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has warned that Peter Obi’s participation in the 2027 presidential race could inadvertently boost President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects by splitting opposition votes.
Speaking on Symfoni TV, Okonkwo argued that the opposition must rally behind a single candidate if it hopes to unseat the incumbent, stressing that multiple opposition contenders would only fragment support and hand the APC a strategic advantage.
According to him, political realities suggest that any division within the opposition would make the president’s path to a second term much easier.
“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.
Okonkwo also revisited Obi’s departure from coalition talks within the ADC, contending that the former Anambra governor walked away from an opportunity to test his popularity through an open contest.
“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.
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“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.
He maintained that leadership ambitions require the willingness to engage in competitive political processes, especially in a country facing complex national challenges.
The ADC stalwart further claimed that some South-East political leaders had long argued that the region’s chances of producing a president would be stronger through alliances with influential northern political forces.
Referencing discussions he said took place during coalition negotiations, Okonkwo alleged that Senator Victor Umeh had expressed concerns about the South-East’s electoral pathway and the need for broader political partnerships.
He concluded by cautioning opposition supporters against dispersing their votes across multiple candidates, insisting that such a scenario would only strengthen Tinubu’s position ahead of the 2027 election.
“Once opposition votes are divided, the ruling party becomes the biggest beneficiary,” Okonkwo said, arguing that backing Obi under the current political configuration could ultimately work in favour of the APC.
