No single candidate can defeat Tinubu in 2027 without coalition, says Kenneth Okonkwo
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council in the 2023 elections, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said that opposition parties must unite in a coalition if they hope to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, the actor-turned-politician emphasised the necessity of a united front among opposition forces.
“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,” Okonkwo stated.
“But there would be a coalition. Why? Because that would be the only choice the opposition has to make an impact.”
Asked if Tinubu is unbeatable without a coalition against him, Okonkwo answered in the affirmative, saying “outrightly,” adding that “he would just walk into it”.
He maintained that “no one single candidate can beat Tinubu alone,” adding that the reason is because the elite are needed to “safeguard” victory at the polls.
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Drawing a comparison, Okonkwo said, “If the elites come together like they did in 2014 to confront Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, they will unseat Tinubu in 2027.”
Addressing the recent defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Okonkwo claimed those defecting believe the 2027 elections will be rigged in favour of the APC.
“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,” he said.
“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 cited a World Bank report projecting worsening poverty in Nigeria through 2027, arguing that it reflects a loss of hope in Tinubu’s leadership.
“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,” he said.
Okonkwo also highlighted political shifts in Delta State, where PDP members are defecting to the APC, suggesting it is driven by survival instincts rather than ideology.
