Kenneth Okonkwo Backs Northern Candidate for 2027 Presidency

Kenneth Okonkwo Backs Northern Candidate for 2027 Presidency.
He says Peter Obi can’t win without establishment support and backing.
Okonkwo insists a southern candidate favours Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Labour Party chieftain and former spokesperson of the Peter Obi/Ahmed Baba-Datti 2023 campaign, Kenneth Okonkwo, has declared his support for a northern candidate to contest against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Okonkwo argued that fielding a southern presidential hopeful against Tinubu, also from the South, would only pave the way for the president’s re-election. According to him, the most strategic path for the opposition is to present a credible and widely accepted northerner.

“My strategy this time around is that I’m going to support a northerner in 2027,” he stated, adding that such a candidate must be one “the whole north is willing to support.” He listed potential candidates including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, provided they meet the qualifications and enjoy regional backing.

Okonkwo stressed that political experience, especially at the national level, would be an added advantage for whoever emerges.

He also argued that Peter Obi, or any southern candidate, stands little chance of victory in 2027 without the backing of the political establishment. He alleged that Obi won the 2023 election but was robbed of victory, warning that such electoral manipulation could repeat itself.

“Anybody telling you to bring a fresh southerner to contest Tinubu is zoning the presidency to Tinubu,” Okonkwo said. He maintained that political power in Nigeria still heavily favours incumbents, and only a northern candidate could truly challenge Tinubu’s hold on the presidency.

He added that until the Southeast aligns strategically, it may remain politically marginalised.