Former Labour Party (LP) campaign spokesperson Kenneth Okonkwo has stirred political waters ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that President Bola Tinubu is likely to win re-election if the newly adopted African Democratic Congress (ADC) presents a southern presidential candidate.
Speaking on Politics Today, a primetime political show on Channels Television, Okonkwo argued that only a strong northern candidate can realistically unseat the incumbent.
His comments come days after the opposition coalition confirmed the ADC as their unified platform for 2027.
Though he did not specifically mention Peter Obi, however, Obi remains among the top candidates from southern Nigeria being tipped by many to emerge as ADC candidate.
Okonkwo said, “My strategy this time around is that I am going to support a northerner in 2027,” Okonkwo said. “If the whole north is willing to support an Atiku, why not? If it’s Tambuwal, why not?”
According to him, fielding another southern candidate would effectively hand Tinubu a second term, calling it a tactical blunder.
“Anybody telling you to bring a fresh southerner to compete against Tinubu, a southerner, is trying to zone the ticket to Tinubu — and Tinubu will win outright,” he stated.
“If you bring somebody from the south-east, even if he wins, they will steal it from him.”
Okonkwo also revisited his claims that Peter Obi, the LP candidate in the 2023 elections, had actually won the vote but was denied by what he called systemic rigging.
“Peter Obi won the election in 2023, and they stole it from us. If you do it again, they will still steal it because there is no incumbent to defend the victory,” he insisted.
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He argued that in Nigeria’s political terrain, only a northern candidate would have the regional leverage and institutional backing to resist such pressure, especially against a southern incumbent like Tinubu.
Okonkwo also dismissed claims that backing a northern candidate would be unjust.
“Whoever wins a primary election will take it for four years. Where is the injustice? It has happened before.”
The actor-turned-politician parted ways with Peter Obi and resigned from the Labour Party in July 2024, citing leadership disarray and Obi’s indecision. Now aligned with the emerging ADC coalition, he appears to be championing a strategic realignment ahead of 2027.
The ADC, now a hub for opposition forces, is expected to field a presidential candidate next year as it attempts to wrest power from the APC-led federal government.
As Nigeria’s political landscape continues to shift, Okonkwo’s remarks add a fresh layer of controversy to the ongoing debate over regional rotation, fairness, and electability.