It Will Only Take A Coalition To Defeat Tinubu In 2027 – Kenneth Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo, former spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign, said that opposition parties will need to come together if they want any chance of defeating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Sunday, the actor-turned-politician explained that a coalition is the only realistic way for the opposition to challenge Tinubu’s hold on power.

While he admitted he couldn’t predict whether Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar would team up, Okonkwo was confident that a broader coalition would eventually take shape as the 2027 elections approach.

“Nelson Mandela said it always appears impossible until it happens. I may not guarantee an alliance between Peter Obi and Atiku, but as we are moving to 2027, I know that there would be a coalition.

“Whether it would be between Peter Obi and Atiku, I don’t know. But there would be a coalition. Why? Because that would be the only choice the opposition has to make an impact,” he said.

When asked directly if Tinubu could be defeated without a united front against him, Okonkwo responded with a firm “yes,” adding that Tinubu would easily win again if the opposition remains divided.

Kenneth Okonkwo argued that no single candidate has the strength to beat Tinubu on their own.

He pointed out that in Nigeria, it’s not just about winning votes but also about having the backing of the political elite to secure victory.

Making reference to the 2015 elections, he said that just as the elite came together to oust Goodluck Jonathan, they could do the same to Tinubu if they unite.

He maintained that “no one single candidate can be Tinubu alone… and the reason is this. In Nigeria, we have entered into the unfortunacy that you would not only win, you have to secure your victory. So, you need the elite to secure your victory even if the people vote for you”.

“If the elites come together like they did in 2014 to confront Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, they will unseat Tinubu in 2027,” he added.

Turning to the issue of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Okonkwo said many politicians are jumping ship because they believe the 2027 elections will be rigged in favor of the ruling party.

He criticized this mindset, saying it made no sense for people to run into a “sinking house” like the APC just because they expect political favors.

According to him, the APC is collapsing, and those joining now are doing so out of fear rather than conviction.

“The whole idea of joining another political party, and precisely the ruling party, is simply because of the belief that in 2027 they are going to write the results of the election, nothing else.

“I mean, it’s an absurdity that people will see a sinking house and still run into it for shelter because APC is a sinking house,” he said.

Quoting a recent World Bank report, Okonkwo noted that Nigerians are expected to become even poorer until 2027, blaming the current administration for worsening poverty and hardship.

He said, “The World Bank report made it clear that Nigerians are going to be poorer till 2027. Have you asked yourself why they stopped at 2027?

“Because they know that this country is a blessed country, until the day Nigeria has a very good leader, poverty will dry up.

“So, they have given up on Tinubu’s regime, that it is a government that will afflict Nigerians with hunger and hardship until it ends.”

Kenneth Okonkwo also touched on the political situation in Delta State, where he noted that some politicians, frustrated with the PDP leadership, are moving to the APC.

He referenced Senator Ned Nwoko’s complaints about the current PDP governor in Delta and explained that other figures like Omo-Agege and Festus Keyamo are also playing major roles in strengthening the APC in the state, even as internal rivalries persist.

“Recall that Senator Ned Nwoko said the only reason he wanted to go to APC is because he has a lousy governor who does not know his left from his right and who has broken all the agreements that they had — he said he would want to move to APC where the light is shining.

“Recall, there is one Omo-Agege who loves to be the governor of Delta state and who has been grooming the APC and welcoming people into their fold.

“Recall that there is a Festus Keyamo who is not really a fan of Omo-Agege, then a governor from nowhere, from PDP, carrying all the people from PDP, moves into the same APC,” he added.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2024, Kenneth Okonkwo dumped the Labour Party and distanced himself from its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.