Veteran Nollywood actor, lawyer, and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has warned that any presidential aspirant leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to pursue another party’s ticket would be “working for President Bola Tinubu.” Okonkwo made the statement during an interview on Channels Television, addressing speculation that former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi might exit the ADC if he fails to secure its sole presidential nomination.
Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, is among the leading contenders for the ADC ticket, alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi. Okonkwo described aspirants who leave the coalition as “mobile squatters” and accused them of being compromised.
“If all the coalition leaders are facing this crisis, even with unity, then what do you think one person can do going out?” Okonkwo said. “Anybody that goes out of the coalition is compromised and is working for Tinubu, whoever that person is.”
His comments come amid ongoing discussions within the ADC about its presidential ticket. Atiku Abubakar, in a separate interview on Arise News, pledged to support whoever emerges as the party’s candidate through consensus or primaries.
The ADC’s internal dynamics reflect broader realignments in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the next general election. The party, formed from a coalition of opposition groups, has positioned itself as an alternative platform for candidates seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, tensions over the presidential nomination have raised questions about the coalition’s stability.
Okonkwo’s remarks highlight the high stakes involved, with political figures navigating between loyalty to their ambitions and the coalition’s collective goals. Whether the ADC can maintain unity or face further defections remains a key question as the race for the presidency intensifies.
