Okonkwo Mocks Obi Over Attendance at Makinde’s APM Campaign Office Launch

Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has taken a swipe at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his attendance at the inauguration of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential campaign office in Abuja.

Okonkwo made the remarks during an interview with News Central while explaining why the ADC was not represented at the event held on Monday. He stated that the inauguration was primarily an Allied Peoples Movement (APM) affair and therefore did not require the participation of ADC leaders. “As far as I’m concerned, that is an APM affair and it should be attributed to APM,” he said. The ADC chieftain appeared to mock Obi and other politicians who attended the gathering, describing them as individuals who would show up at virtually any event once invited. “Those people that were there — even if you had invited them for naming ceremony or birthday party — they are known for people who like to wave to people,” he said. “Even if there’s no crowd, they will still be waving to trees. It’s just normal for them. If you’re doing anything and you call them they will come”.

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Speaking at the APM event in Abuja’s Wuse II district, Obi described Makinde as qualified to seek the presidency in 2027, calling him his “dear brother”. “We have a candidate, who is contesting for president today, my dear brother, Seyi Makinde. Number one is, is he qualified to be president? Yes. He’s qualified. Yes. Yes,” Obi said. The former Anambra State governor, known for attending political events across party lines throughout his career, said Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges demanded a different kind of politics. “What we are doing today is to show you that, for us, we don’t have desperation. We want the people of Nigeria to make their choice. Whoever they choose, all of us will come together to build a new Nigeria,” Obi said. “We can’t all continue the way we are going today. Our people are hungry. Our people are poor. Our people are insecure. Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair and credible election, we all want to work together to save this country from collapse,” Obi said. Obi called for an end to confrontational politics, urging that political disagreements should focus on solving the problems facing ordinary Nigerians rather than personal quarrels. “We don’t want politics of quarrel, politics of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty,” he said. He also expressed hope for a Nigeria where citizens could succeed regardless of their background or connections, saying: “We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody”.

The event, which also featured Bauchi State Governor and APM National Leader Bala Mohammed, underscored the growing political consultations and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election. The campaign office, located in Wuse II, Abuja, will serve as the national coordinating centre for the Makinde-Daura presidential campaign. Mohammed warned rival political parties against dismissing the electoral strength of the APM and its presidential candidate. “Whoever disregards us is at his own peril, we are here to reset Nigeria and we are bringing in one of the best human capitals that Nigeria has ever produced at the sub-national and national level, that is Makinde,” Mohammed said. Makinde, who is contesting on the APM platform alongside vice-presidential candidate Lawal Daura, used the occasion to present his “Reset Nigeria” agenda and call for greater transparency in the management of the country’s resources. He dismissed suggestions that his presidential ambition should not be taken seriously, recalling similar predictions made before he became governor of Oyo State.

Okonkwo’s criticism comes against the backdrop of a strained relationship between himself and Obi. The Nollywood veteran-turned-politician had previously served as a spokesperson for Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign but later publicly withdrew his support. He has since revealed that he no longer believed Obi possessed the leadership qualities required to govern Nigeria. The rift deepened when Obi filed an N8 billion defamation lawsuit against Okonkwo in June 2026 over remarks the ADC chieftain made during a television interview. Obi is seeking N5 billion in general damages, N2 billion in aggravated damages, and N1 billion in exemplary damages, along with orders for a retraction and apology. In July 2026, Okonkwo was appointed as the official spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential campaign under the ADC platform. His appointment was welcomed by ADC support groups who described it as recognition of his contributions to national development.

Okonkwo Mocks Obi Over Attendance at Makinde’s APM Campaign Office Launch

President Bola Tinubu could suffer a dramatic collapse in his Northern support in the 2027 presidential election, securing less than 10 per cent of votes from the region if the poll is free and credible, Convener of the League of Northern Democrats and key promoter of the All-Democratic Alliance (ADA), Dr Umar Ardo, has predicted.

Ardo made the prediction on Monday in an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, arguing that the outcome would largely reflect how Northern voters assess the Tinubu administration’s performance.

He identified insecurity, worsening poverty, economic hardship and the rising cost of living as major issues likely to influence voting decisions in the region.

According to him, the persistent insecurity affecting communities, farmers, traders and businesses remains one of the administration’s biggest challenges.

“You can solve the issue of insecurity and insurgency in one year,” he said, insisting that the Federal Government could significantly reduce the crisis with the right strategy and sufficient political will.

Ardo also faulted the administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, questioning whether ordinary Nigerians had experienced corresponding benefits.

“Subsidy removal, is it a benefit?” he asked, arguing that the reforms had eroded purchasing power and made basic necessities increasingly unaffordable.

He said the impact had been particularly severe in Northern Nigeria, where a large proportion of the population is economically vulnerable.

“The economic reform has pushed from the state of poverty to destitution,” he said.

The political commentator also raised concerns about political representation under the Tinubu administration, arguing that the composition of government could shape public perception of its commitment to different regions.

Ardo said Northern voters should not be assumed to be permanently aligned with the voting pattern recorded in 2023, stressing that prevailing economic and security conditions would determine their choices in 2027.

“If a free, fair and credible election is conducted in Nigeria, Tinubu can’t get 10 percent of the Northern part,” he declared.

His prediction puts the spotlight on the opposition’s capacity to exploit any erosion of Tinubu’s Northern support, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures potentially positioned to benefit from any major electoral realignment.