Kenneth Okonkwo blames Peter Obi for his own political setbacks

Nigerian lawyer and former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has taken a swipe at former presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating that the politician is the architect of his own political misfortunes.

In an interview with Symfoni TV on Friday, Okonkwo argued that Obi’s recent political struggles are not the result of betrayal, as some supporters believe, but rather stem from what he described as a series of poor decisions and a lack of strategic foresight.

“When he said that somebody betrayed him, it is not true. Obi is the one betraying himself,” Okonkwo stated emphatically.
He continued, “Nobody is murdering Obi’s political career. Obi is committing political suicide,” a pointed observation he linked to mismanagement and internal missteps.

Okonkwo pushed back against the idea that external actors were responsible for Obi’s waning political relevance, insisting instead that Obi’s own miscalculations were to blame.

“Any politician that knows what he’s doing cannot be betrayed by anybody,” he added, suggesting that Obi’s experience should have been enough to insulate him from such pitfalls.

In a personal turn, Okonkwo declared, “If there is anybody that betrayed the other, I can say it emphatically, that Peter Obi betrayed me.”

He criticized Obi’s approach to political collaboration, portraying him as lacking the cooperative mindset necessary to thrive in a coalition. “You’re looking for your problem outside you,” he said, indicating that Obi’s troubles are internally rooted.

According to Okonkwo, Obi’s choice to run under the Labour Party altered the trajectory of his political journey. “I told him that whatever happens, the Labour Party has happened to his political career,” he said, recalling a candid conversation between them.

He added that when one enters a coalition, “the destiny of your political future is no longer in your hands,” since political alliances demand the subordination of personal ambition to the broader goals of the group.

Okonkwo argued that Labour Party is currently not strong enough to carry a viable presidential bid, warning that unless Obi builds a credible coalition ahead of the 2027 elections, he might be rendered politically irrelevant. “Labour Party is not viable now as a party to post a good presidential campaign,” he said. Without a strong alliance, Obi risks having “no impact whatsoever,” Okonkwo added.

He also accused Obi of disregarding party unity by endorsing candidates from rival parties. “I went to the national office when I saw their mindset and pleaded with every member of Labour Party that nobody should campaign or endorse any candidate who is not a member of Labour Party,” Okonkwo explained.

Despite this, he claimed, “The gubernatorial candidate of another party was who Obi endorsed in Cross River State, rather than the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate. Publicly.”

He further dismissed narratives suggesting Obi is a target of government interference, instead claiming the former candidate has been complicit in questionable practices within the Labour Party. “In all the primaries that they have organised, none was organised without Obi’s approval,” Okonkwo said, citing examples from Edo, Ondo, and Anambra states.