Former Labour Party spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the internal crisis weakening its political influence, claiming that the party’s leadership has become subservient to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television program, on Friday, February 7, 2025, Okonkwo argued that President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Nyesom Wike, a key PDP figure, as a minister further diminished the opposition party’s standing.
He criticized the PDP for tolerating internal rebellion, referencing the actions of the G5 governors who openly opposed the party during the 2023 general elections. He alleged that Wike’s ministerial role in Tinubu’s administration effectively made the PDP subordinate to the APC.
“Some people came out as G5 and worked against the party’s interest, not covertly but overtly. Yet, the PDP accommodated them and made excuses for them,” Okonkwo stated. “Now, they want to take over the party. When they do, the true members of the PDP will become servants to the servant because their main leader [Wike] is now a servant to the APC.”
Reacting to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent claims that the APC is bribing opposition parties to destabilize them ahead of the 2027 elections, Okonkwo dismissed the allegation, arguing that the real issue lies within the opposition’s weakness.
“I will never blame the ruling party for the failures of the opposition,” he said. “If there is no willing receiver, there will be no available giver. It is a legitimate political strategy for any party to weaken its opponents.”
Okonkwo urged opposition parties to take responsibility for their instability, stating that Atiku’s bribery claims only expose the opposition’s incompetence and corruption.
“Instead of making excuses, the opposition should reject any offers to destabilize them and focus on building a credible alternative for Nigerians,” he added.
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