Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has claimed that Peter Obi will struggle to gain South-East support for the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, the legal practitioner and actor criticized the “Obi or nothing” slogan used by some supporters, describing it as a cultural “abomination” in Igboland.
Okonkwo argued that the phrase contradicts the Igbo principle of Somadina, which emphasizes collective progress rather than individual success. “Somadina means that I will not be the only person that will thrive. I will not be the only person that will succeed,” he explained.
To support his argument, Okonkwo referenced the 1979 elections, noting that late nationalist Nnamdi Azikiwe understood that Igbo votes alone could not win the presidency.
He highlighted how Azikiwe respected Alex Ekwueme’s decision to remain in a different party, an alliance that eventually helped the South-East secure the vice presidency and speakership just nine years after the civil war. “And somebody here is telling me Obi or nothing? That is an abomination in Igbo land,” he added.
Okonkwo also addressed the recent defections of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging they moved to avoid primary elections. “And the reason they went there is because they are scared of participating in primary election,” he said.
He went further to characterize the move as deceptive, questioning their decision to leave a coalition they had initially praised as the best way to challenge President Bola Tinubu. “Is that not being a con man?” he asked during the interview.
Finally, the former Obi ally reflected on his own departure from the movement, criticizing what he termed “toxic followers” and “street urchins.”
Although he campaigned for Obi in 2023 out of a desire for a South-East presidency, Okonkwo said he became disillusioned after the election results were not secured. “After winning the election, what happened? He could not secure his own victory,” he remarked, noting that he spent nearly two years campaigning and 240 days in court before moving on.
