Former Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, has explained why he abandoned Peter Obi and threw his weight behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today shortly after his appointment as spokesperson for Atiku’s 2027 campaign, Okonkwo said he publicly ended his relationship with Obi in 2024 after concluding that the former Anambra State governor lacked the decisiveness needed to lead Nigeria.
According to him, he only began criticising Obi after announcing he was no longer speaking on his behalf. Okonkwo said he had seen qualities in Obi that convinced him he was unfit to become Nigeria’s president, stressing that he made his position known publicly before aligning with Atiku.
The former campaign spokesman also accused Obi of betraying him by filing a defamation suit against him over allegations involving some House of Representatives aspirants. He insisted he did not defame the former Labour Party presidential candidate and claimed he has documentary evidence to support his position, which he said would be presented in court.
In contrast, Okonkwo praised Atiku, saying the former vice president overlooked his past criticisms and focused on the value he could contribute to Nigeria. He described Atiku as a leader who recognises talent and places national interest above personal grievances.
Okonkwo served as one of Obi’s spokespersons during the 2023 presidential election before leaving the Labour Party in 2024. He later joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he was recently appointed spokesperson for Atiku’s 2027 presidential campaign.
