Actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo has issued a blunt warning to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition: field Peter Obi in 2027, and President Bola Tinubu will coast to a second term.
“Anybody telling you to bring a fresh southerner like Obi against Tinubu is zoning the ticket back to Tinubu. Tinubu will win outright,” Okonkwo said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Okonkwo, who served as spokesman for Obi’s 2023 campaign before dumping Labour Party in 2024, said only a northern political titan can unseat Tinubu.
“My strategy this time is supporting a northerner in 2027. It must be a northerner the whole north is willing to support. If the whole north rallies behind Atiku, why not? If it’s Tambuwal or El-Rufai, why not? The person must be qualified and experienced,” he stressed.
He argued that Nigeria’s political dynamics favour incumbents and regional alliances. “Peter Obi won in 2023, and they stole it from us. If you do it again, they will steal it again because there’s no incumbent to back you,” he said.
“Do you know the South-West has never contested against an incumbent? They understand strategy. In Nigeria, if you lack establishment backing, even if you win, they will steal it,” he added.
The warning comes amid growing momentum within the opposition bloc, with leaders like Atiku Abubakar, Obi, ex-ministers Rauf Aregbesola and Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai rallying under the ADC umbrella.
They are banking on the over 12 million votes jointly garnered by Atiku and Obi in 2023—far above Tinubu’s declared tally—to challenge the APC’s hold on power.
But Okonkwo remains adamant: “Tinubu’s government is incurably bad. We want to terminate his incumbency. But to do that, we must play smart—not emotional.”
“Field a northern heavyweight and pair him with a strong southern running mate. That’s the only path to victory.”he concluded.
