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By Lawrence Agbo
Nollywood actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has explained why he parted ways with former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying he lost confidence in Obi’s ability to lead Nigeria while finding a leader in Atiku who values competence over criticism.
Speaking on Channel TV Politics Today shortly after his appointment as spokesperson for Atiku’s 2027 presidential campaign, Okonkwo said he publicly severed ties with Obi in 2024 after concluding that the former Anambra State governor lacked the decisiveness required to govern the country.
“I’ve seen in him certain qualities that make him unfit to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I made it public because I was no longer speaking for him,” he said.
Okonkwo insisted that his criticism of Obi came only after he had ended his role as the former Labour Party candidate’s spokesperson, adding that he had acted transparently by informing Nigerians of his decision.
He also accused Obi of betraying him by filing a defamation suit over allegations that some House of Representatives aspirants paid bribes, claims Obi has denied.
“He was the one who betrayed me,” Okonkwo said, arguing that the legal action was unnecessary given their previous working relationship.
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In contrast, the ADC chieftain praised Atiku for overlooking his past criticisms and focusing instead on what he could contribute to Nigeria.
According to Okonkwo, Atiku told associates that he saw his commitment to nation-building rather than the negative comments he had made in the past.
“What Atiku Abubakar is looking at is not what you said about him. He is looking at the value you can bring to Nigeria,” he said.
Okonkwo described the former vice president as a leader with a reputation for identifying and nurturing talent, citing several public figures whom Atiku had supported during their careers.
Responding to the defamation case, Okonkwo maintained that he did not defame Obi and insisted he possesses documentary evidence to support his claims, which he said would be presented before the court at the appropriate time.
The actor-turned-politician served as one of Obi’s campaign spokespersons during the 2023 presidential election before leaving the Labour Party in 2024. He later joined the African Democratic Congress, where he was recently appointed spokesperson for Atiku’s 2027 presidential campaign.
