Kenneth Okonkwo says Peter Obi cannot unseat President Bola Tinubu alone, arguing that opposition parties must unite behind a common candidate
Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the presidential campaign of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, has said an opposition coalition remains the strongest route to defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
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Okonkwo made the remarks during an interview with Ibeju Upgrade Media, where he assessed the chances of opposition contenders and the growing political realignments ahead of the election.
He argued that individual opposition candidates would struggle to overcome the incumbent if they contest separately, warning that divided support could ultimately work in Tinubu’s favour.
“Coalition is the only way out,” Okonkwo said, insisting that opposition politicians would need to set aside individual ambitions and build a stronger political alliance.
He specifically questioned the ability of Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, to defeat Tinubu without broader opposition support.
According to Okonkwo, even a potential Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket would face serious challenges against the President because of the need to attract substantial support across Nigeria, including the North.
“So, if Peter Obi goes against Tinubu alone, Tinubu will eat him like biscuits,” he said.
Okonkwo also questioned whether Obi could significantly improve on his 2023 performance in Kano State, where the former Anambra State governor failed to secure the state’s presidential vote.
“Will Kano people accept Peter Obi? In 2023, when we had the opportunity, they did not accept him. In 2027, they will not accept him,” he added.
The ADC chieftain further dismissed the political value of former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso to an Obi-led ticket, claiming that Kwankwaso had lost influence even in his home state.
“Kwankwaso has nothing to contribute to the ticket. Even in Kano, Kwankwaso has lost,” Okonkwo said.
Okonkwo’s comments come as opposition politicians continue to grapple with the question of whether they can unite behind a single presidential candidate ahead of 2027.
Previous attempts to establish a broad coalition encountered setbacks as major opposition figures pursued different political platforms and presidential ambitions.
The latest push has involved the G100 Opposition Coalition, led by ADC chieftain Salihu Lukman, which has been seeking greater cooperation among opposition parties and political actors.
The debate has become more complicated following the emergence of competing opposition arrangements.
Obi and Kwankwaso are now associated with the NDC, while Atiku is the ADC’s presidential candidate.
That division has intensified questions about whether the opposition can consolidate its support across different regions and voter groups or risk splitting the electorate among several candidates.
For Okonkwo, the answer is clear: a united opposition offers the more realistic path to challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Tinubu.
Also read: Wike’s Aide Says Not All 19 Candidates Can Win in 2027
His latest comments are part of a broader and increasingly consequential political argument over how opposition forces should approach the 2027 election, with competing camps presenting different views on who should lead a possible alliance and which political platform should carry it.
