Why Peter Obi May Struggle to Retain South-East Support in 2027 – Okonkwo

Why Peter Obi May Struggle to Retain South-East Support in 2027 – Okonkwo

Former Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi may find it difficult to maintain overwhelming support in the South-East ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Okonkwo, who recently aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, where he criticised the popular “Obi or nothing” slogan associated with some supporters of the former Anambra State governor.

According to him, the slogan contradicts the Igbo cultural philosophy of collective advancement known as “Somadina,” which promotes communal progress rather than individual political dominance.

“Have you not heard of the slogan Obi or nothing? First of all, that slogan is an abomination culturally in Igbo land,” Okonkwo stated during the programme.

Explaining further, the lawyer and actor-turned-politician said the Igbo ideology of “Somadina” emphasises shared success and cooperation.

“Somadina means that I will not be the only person that will thrive. I will not be the only person that will succeed,” he said.

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Okonkwo referenced the political relationship between late nationalist Nnamdi Azikiwe and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme during the 1979 elections, noting that Igbo political leaders traditionally embraced alliances and coalition-building across party lines.

According to him, Azikiwe understood that South-East votes alone would not be enough to secure presidential victory and therefore maintained strategic relationships with politicians from other regions.

“Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe knew that the votes of Ndi Igbo alone would not make him president,” Okonkwo said.

He added that Azikiwe respected Ekwueme’s decision to remain in another political party at the time, stressing that post-election alliances later secured key political offices for the South-East, including the vice presidency and the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“And somebody here is telling me Obi or nothing? That is an abomination in Igbo land,” he added.

The ADC chieftain also reacted to the recent political movement involving Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who reportedly left opposition coalition talks within the ADC and joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Okonkwo alleged that both politicians avoided participating in party primaries and abandoned coalition efforts aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

“And the reason they went there is because they are scared of participating in primary election,” he claimed.

According to him, Obi and Kwankwaso had initially supported coalition talks as the best strategy to unseat the ruling government before eventually withdrawing from the arrangement.

“They said coalition is the best and the only method to send Tinubu packing by their own words. And on their own, without any reason, they left for NDC. Is that not being a con man?” he asked.

Responding to questions on political defections and coalition disagreements, Okonkwo argued that Obi willingly joined the alliance despite allegedly knowing about existing internal issues.

“And you didn’t know that such association is not aligning before you entered and you didn’t have any reason for going except that he wants power,” he said.

The former Labour Party campaign spokesman also criticised some supporters of Obi, describing them as “toxic followers” and “street urchins,” while admitting he once belonged to the Obidient movement.

“I was. Why did I leave?” he said.

Okonkwo explained that he supported Obi during the 2023 presidential election mainly because he wanted a South-East candidate to emerge as president.

However, he said his opinion changed after the election outcome and subsequent legal battle challenging the results.

“After winning the election, what happened? He could not secure his own victory,” Okonkwo stated.

The lawyer further disclosed that he spent nearly 240 days in court and about two years campaigning because he believed the Labour Party had won the election.

Political observers say the comments highlight growing tensions within Nigeria’s opposition politics as parties intensify consultations, defections and coalition talks ahead of the next general elections.

Despite the criticism, Peter Obi continues to enjoy strong support among many youths and urban voters through the Obidient Movement, particularly in the South-East and parts of southern Nigeria.

Why Peter Obi May Struggle to Retain South-East Support in 2027 – Okonkwo