According to Kenneth Okonkwo, a former Labour Party spokesperson and ADC chieftain, Peter Obi gave the idea that he was the only Igbo politician qualified to be president of Nigeria.
While discussing coalition arrangements, internal issues involving Obi and other members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and opposition politics, Okonkwo made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television.
While interviewing Obi, Okonkwo critiqued his political strategy and said that no one should try to establish themselves as necessary in the political landscape of the Southeast.
"Are you trying to suggest that no one else has the qualifications to be president?" I asked, Okonkwo.
Say my name. More than twenty million Igbo people would find that offensive.
The ADC leader questioned what he saw as Obi's excessive political entitlement and made a contentious reference to his academic background.
"You made 3rd Class in the University and then you're saying it is only you that can be president," Okonkwo reportedly said.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, tensions and arguments are on the rise among the opposition, with Okonkwo's remarks adding fuel to the fire. This is particularly true in regards to coalition negotiations and leadership aspirations.
According to the former Labour Party spokesman, he defended Obi on multiple occasions within the ADC's National Working Committee to keep the party united and to gain trust, even if he had doubts about Obi's leadership style.
In his account, a number of compromises were purportedly made to suit Obi and ensure his satisfaction with the coalition arrangement.
It was stated by Okonkwo that he did not raise any objections when Obi asked to have one of his supporters appointed as National Organising Secretary, a post he said would be responsible for supervising the party primaries.
He went on to say that other party leaders went along with placing Obi's aide in control of the party's online membership registration procedure.
Okonkwo claims that the coalition accepted those decisions in an effort to comfort Obi and show transparency.
"We wanted him to feel secure, so I didn't raise any alarm," he explained.
However, the ADC chieftain was disappointed because Obi purportedly continued to be suspicious of the internal process and eventually removed himself from the coalition arrangement, despite the compromises.
"So you're still scared even when you plan your own primary?" "Get going," Okonkwo urged.
Instead of trying to control every part of the process, he said, coalition politics necessitates trust, compromise, and a readiness to work together.
He claims that numerous opposition leaders put their own interests on the back burner to create a formidable political platform that could take on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Okonkwo, politicians shouldn't assume command of party machinery just because they're well-liked or supported by the people.
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