By Tom Zaneni, Abuja
Former spokesperson for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 general election, Kenneth Okonkwo, has announced the end of his political association with the LP and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
He also declared that he no longer has confidence in Obi, saying every LP member was confused as to the future of the party due to his lack of leadership.
Okonkwo, who announced his decision in a statement he posted on his social media account, on Saturday, cited lingering internal crises rocking the LP and Obi’s inability to resolve them as reasons.
The Nollywood actor and lawyer-turned politician said he was surprised that the LP presidential candidate could not show leadership and restore unity within the party to ensure its victory in the 2027 general poll.
He lampooned Obi for not deploying his influence and give proper direction to settle the internal wranglings in the LP to enable the party to stand solid ahead of the next general election.
Okonkwo also knocked Obi for “refusing to dissociate himself from the shenanigans and criminal activities of the former NWC as their time had expired.”
He pointed out that the instability in the LP had exposed Obi as a leader who cannot build a virile and strong political platform that will challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general poll.
Okonkwo said, “What is happening in the Labour Party today has inspired in me a determination to chart a new course for my political journey. After the 2023 general election, Nigerians, including me, had high hopes on the Labour Party. I believed that Peter Obi will seize the momentum and build a solid party of integrity that will have the solid base that we need to overthrow these kakistocrats and kleptocrats. He just needed to give the right directives and everyone will fall in line.
“I received my first shock when he publicly declared that he didn’t promise Nigerians to build a strong Labour Party, but to solve Nigeria’s problems. I was like, does it mean HE Peter Obi is not aware that without a solid party base, we are heading to nowhere politically?
“However, I continued in his defence believing he would still privately bring the needed solution to LP problems, to no avail.”
“PO also publicly demanded that the Abure-led National Working Committee must organise an all-inclusive convention that will guarantee the participation of all members of the Labour Party in the choice of their leaders. This didn’t happen, and surprisingly, PO refused to disassociate himself from the shenanigans and criminal activities of the former NWC as their time had expired.”
He continued: “Every member of the Labour Party is confused today as to the future of the Labour Party because of lack of leadership from PO over the party, and unfortunately, when they look up to me to tell them about PO’s standpoint, I sincerely have nothing to tell them because I don’t know myself. I cannot continue to speak on behalf of a leader that I do not know his stand on issues of great importance. I simply don’t know how to manipulate facts.
“I am shocked that PO could not openly support the noble efforts of the Labour Unions who founded the Labour Party as a base to fight for the welfare of workers to the extent that some of them are openly saying that PO is now the problem of LP.
“The Labour Unions now have the unfortunate situation where they are fighting criminals who want to hijack their party when an ordinary statement from the PO would have brought the solution. I cannot continue with this ambivalence forever.
“I am of course in full support of the Labour Unions and other stakeholders who are now compelled to fight for the soul of LP without the support of PO.
“However, the consequence is that I no longer have the confidence that PO has what it takes to build a party that can win these kakistocrats and kleptocrats, and above all, he has proved that even if the people vote for him, he doesn’t have what it takes to secure the mandate. I don’t intend to embark on such a campaign as we did in 2023, projecting a person who cannot sustain the victory even if he wins.
“It’s in this regard that I have decided to continue my political journey into the great Nigeria of our vision without Peter Obi. I am always 100% loyal to a leader whenever I am.”
