Former spokesman of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has declared that no southern presidential candidate stands a chance of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Speaking during a recent interview, the Nollywood actor-turned-politician cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against fielding a southern candidate, describing such a move as a de facto endorsement of Tinubu’s re-election.
“Anybody telling you to bring a fresh southerner to compete against Tinubu, a southerner, is trying to tell you to zone the ticket to Tinubu, and Tinubu will win outrightly,” Okonkwo said.
He emphasized that only a popular northern candidate with significant grassroots support and the ability to secure northern states can challenge the incumbent president in the forthcoming election.
Okonkwo, who backed Peter Obi in the 2023 election, severed ties with the Labour Party and Obi in July 2024, citing unresolved internal crises and the party’s failure to address key leadership issues.
Obi, a former Anambra State governor and prominent southern figure in the opposition coalition, has already signaled interest in contesting the 2027 presidency.
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