As the political atmosphere heats up ahead of the 2027 general elections, legal practitioner and spokesperson for the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, has urged Nigeria’s opposition parties to unite in order to present a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okonkwo made this assertion during a televised interview on Arise TV where he reacted to the APC Northwest’s endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The endorsement, which came with a vote of confidence in Tinubu and automatic second-term tickets for APC governors in the region, has sparked widespread debate over the party’s priorities amidst growing national insecurity and poverty.

Okonkwo said, “It is shameful that at a time when people are being killed, like the 15 people reportedly murdered this morning in Agatu LGA, Benue State, and the Northwest is grappling with the highest rate of out-of-school children and poverty, leaders are preoccupied with elections still two years away.”

He described the endorsement as an unrepresentative gathering of political elites, disconnected from the real needs of the over 60 million people in the Northwest.

He said, “Democracy is about the people, not a group of sycophants seeking power for its own sake.”

Okonkwo emphasised that the failure of the opposition in 2023 was largely due to fragmentation, allowing a minority party with only 37 per cent of the total votes to claim the presidency.

“The only way to get APC out of power in 2027 is for the opposition to unite. Nigerians deserve a government rooted in integrity, competence, and a commitment to public welfare, not one focused on power retention,” he declared.

Okonkwo also took aim at what he termed the “palm wine politics” of the APC, likening its inconsistent ideology and rampant defections to the ever-changing taste of palm wine.

He stated, “Today, they support Tinubu. Tomorrow, they’ll jump ship. That’s the instability the APC represents.”

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When asked about ongoing talks between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi regarding a possible one-term presidency and a vice-presidential offer, Okonkwo maintained that leadership should be decided by the people, not political arrangements behind closed doors.

Speaking on the Labour Party’s ideology, he acknowledged the party’s pro-worker principles but expressed concerns about the influx of candidates who joined without fully embracing its values. Despite leaving the Labour Party due to internal challenges, Okonkwo affirmed his continued involvement in politics.

“I am part of a coalition that is still in the formative stages. We’re not rushing into platforms, but when we emerge, Nigerians will hear from us.

“We may not change the beginning of our story, but we can certainly change how it ends. And I believe we will succeed.”