Kenneth Okonkwo

Former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesperson Kenneth Okonkwo has asserted that the opposition’s only realistic chance to defeat President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 lies in forming a strong coalition.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Okonkwo expressed confidence that an alliance among opposition forces will materialise before the next general election, although he could not confirm who would lead it.

“Looking ahead to 2027, I know there will be a coalition. Whether it’s between Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, I can’t say, but a coalition is the only strategy the opposition has to make an impact,” Okonkwo stated.

Pressed further, he admitted that failure to form a united front would make Tinubu’s re-election a foregone conclusion. “If no coalition is formed, Tinubu will simply walk back into office,” he added.

Okonkwo argued that no single opposition candidate can defeat Tinubu in the current political climate, describing Nigeria’s system as one where victory must not only be won but secured.

Drawing parallels with the 2015 election that unseated Goodluck Jonathan, he stressed that if political elites can again unite as they did then, they stand a chance of removing Tinubu from power in 2027.

Addressing the recent wave of defections from opposition parties to the APC, Okonkwo criticised the defectors, suggesting they believe the ruling party will manipulate the 2027 elections. He described it as “an absurdity” that politicians are rushing toward what he called “a sinking house”.

Okonkwo, who recently resigned from the Labour Party, reiterated that he has yet to join any other political party. He emphasised that he is carefully considering his next political move but maintained that his immediate priority is to promote a broad-based coalition among opposition groups.