KENNETH OKONKWO DITCHES PETER OBI, CALLS FOR NORTHERN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN 2027

In a dramatic turn that could reshape opposition dynamics ahead of 2027, Labour Party chieftain and former Peter Obi/Datti campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has withdrawn his support for Peter Obi and announced plans to back a northern candidate instead.
Okonkwo, who was a vocal supporter of Obi during the 2023 elections, made the declaration in a public interview, warning that fielding a southern candidate again in 2027 would hand an easy victory to President Bola Tinubu due to entrenched establishment interests and the power of incumbency.
“My strategy this time is to support a northerner for the presidency in 2027. If the entire north supports an Atiku or Tambuwal and they’re qualified, then why not?” Okonkwo said.
While he stopped short of endorsing a specific candidate, Okonkwo said he would be comfortable supporting prominent northern figures such as Atiku Abubakar or Aminu Tambuwal if they met the criteria of competence and widespread regional support.
He maintained that Peter Obi had in fact won the 2023 election but lost due to institutional bias, adding that the Labour Party’s failure to align with the political realities of power distribution would lead to repeated defeats.
“Nobody will prevail on a northern winner to abandon his mandate. The Southeast will continue to be cheated unless we play smart politically,” he concluded.
His remarks come amid ongoing opposition coalition talks under the ADC banner, where Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, El-Rufai, and Amaechi are among the leading figures.