Kenneth Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election and now a member of the opposition coalition, has asserted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is likely to retain power in 2027—unless the opposition adopts a strategic shift by fielding a strong northern candidate.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, Okonkwo, who is also a lawyer and former actor, emphasized that the opposition must unite behind a presidential candidate from the North if they are serious about defeating Tinubu in the upcoming election.
“My strategy this time is to support a northern candidate in 2027,” he declared. “It has to be someone the entire North can rally behind. If the North chooses to support someone like Atiku or Tambuwal—qualified individuals with political experience and national appeal—then I see no reason why we shouldn’t back them.”
Okonkwo’s comments follow his decision to sever ties with the Labour Party in July 2024. He cited unresolved internal conflicts within the party and Peter Obi’s inability to effectively address the crises as key reasons for his departure.
President Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023 after defeating both Obi and Atiku, is expected to seek re-election in 2027. His presidency came after the eight-year rule of Muhammadu Buhari, a northern politician from the North-West, reflecting Nigeria’s informal tradition of alternating power between the North and South.
However, Tinubu—who hails from Lagos State in the South-West—is set to run again, and Okonkwo believes that defeating an incumbent southern president requires a candidate from the North to neutralize regional biases and increase electoral viability.
“Tinubu’s leadership has become irredeemable, and we are determined to end his incumbency,” Okonkwo said firmly.
He dismissed arguments that it would be unjust for the North to return to power in 2027. “Whoever wins in a credible primary should be supported for a four-year term, whether from the North or South. There’s no injustice in that—it’s happened before.”
Okonkwo argued that presenting a southeastern candidate like Peter Obi again in 2027 could backfire, even if such a candidate wins at the polls.
“If you bring a Southeastern candidate, even with victory, they’ll steal it from him,” he warned.
He also pointed out that the South-West, where Tinubu comes from, has never directly contested against an incumbent, showing they understand how critical establishment support is in Nigerian politics.
“Peter Obi won the 2023 election, but they took it from us. If he runs again without establishment backing, they’ll steal it again. However, if we field a northern candidate, it becomes more difficult to overturn his victory since he wouldn’t be from the same region as the incumbent,” Okonkwo concluded.
His remarks highlight the deep political calculations and regional dynamics shaping the early build-up to the 2027 general election.
