Renowned lawyer and spokesperson for the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on Nigeria’s opposition parties to join force to present a credible candidate to unseat the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Okonkwo lambasted APC for not setting its priorities right by focusing on elections which is two years ahead amidst growing national insecurity and poverty.
In a televised interview with Arise TV, the legal practitioner berated the APC Northwest’s endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Truthlive News gathered that APC had passed a vote of no confidence on Tinubu and automatic second-term tickets for APC governors in the region, a move which sparked widespread reactions.
Okonkwo said, “It is shameful that at a time when people are being killed, like the 15 people reportedly murdered this morning in Agatu LGA, 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.”
He described the endorsement as an unrepresentative gathering of political elites, disconnected from the real needs of the over 60 million people in the Northwest.
He said, “Democracy is about the people, not a group of sycophants seeking power for its own sake.”
Okonkwo emphasised that the failure of the opposition in 2023 was largely due to fragmentation, allowing a minority party with only 37 per cent of the total votes to claim 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.
Okonkwo also took aim at what he termed the “palm wine politics” of the APC, likening its inconsistent ideology and rampant defections to the ever-changing taste of palm wine.
He stated, “Today, they support Tinubu. Tomorrow, they’ll jump ship. That’s the instability the APC represents.”
When asked about ongoing talks between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi regarding a possible one-term presidency and a vice-presidential offer, Okonkwo maintained that leadership should be decided by the people, not political arrangements behind closed doors.
Speaking on the Labour Party’s ideology, he acknowledged the party’s pro-worker principles but expressed concerns about the influx of candidates who joined without fully embracing its values. Despite leaving the Labour Party due to internal challenges, Okonkwo affirmed his continued involvement 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.”