2027 Presidency: If ADC wants to win, it must Field A Northerner – Kenneth Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo, a former chieftain of the Labour Party and 2023 campaign spokesperson for Peter Obi, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) must present a northern presidential candidate if it intends to defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Okonkwo declared that any attempt to […]

Kenneth Okonkwo, a former chieftain of the Labour Party and 2023 campaign spokesperson for Peter Obi, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) must present a northern presidential candidate if it intends to defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Okonkwo declared that any attempt to field a southern candidate under the ADC banner would guarantee Tinubu’s re-election.

He warned that the political arithmetic of 2027 favours the incumbent unless the opposition adopts a pragmatic and strategic approach.

“My strategy this time around is that I am going to support a northerner in 2027,” Okonkwo said.

He argued that the candidate must be someone with broad northern appeal, stating that if northern political figures such as Atiku Abubakar or Aminu Tambuwal enjoy the confidence of the region, then the opposition must rally around them.

“The person must be qualified. And if he has experience in the presidency, it is an added advantage. When he pairs with someone from the south, that will push him through”, he explained.

Okonkwo described President Tinubu as “incurably bad,” insisting that only a credible northern challenger can pose a serious threat to his return bid.

“Anybody telling you it is injustice if the north comes in, or if the south comes in… whoever wins a primary election will take it for four years. Where is the injustice? It has happened before,” he said.

He warned that nominating another southern candidate would amount to handing Tinubu the election on a platter.

“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 said.

Okonkwo dismissed the possibility of a south-easterner winning in a direct face-off against Tinubu, even if such a candidate secures the popular vote.

“If you bring somebody from the south-east, even if he wins, they will steal it from him,” he asserted.

He pointed to historical electoral patterns and political strategy, noting that the south-west has never fielded a candidate against a sitting president.

“Do you know the south-west has never contested against an incumbent? Strategy. Because in Nigeria, if you don’t have the establishment behind you, even if you win, they will steal it from you,” he said.

He reiterated his belief that Peter Obi won the 2023 election but had his mandate taken.

“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.

“But if you bring someone from the north, nobody will pressure him to relinquish his win because he is not from the same region as the incumbent”, he said.

Okonkwo formally resigned from the Labour Party in July 2024, citing unresolved internal crises and what he described as Obi’s indecisiveness.

His departure came amid realignments within the opposition, which recently culminated in the unveiling of the ADC as the coalition’s new political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.