…part ways with Peter Obi
Actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo has dumped the Labour Party (LP).
Okonkwo, one of the spokespersons for the Labour Party presidential campaign council in the 2023 elections, also announced he is parting ways with Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate.
Recall Okonkwo had defected to LP on 24 August 2022, one month after resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the party’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket.
The 55-year-old, at the time said he joined LP to promote good governance and a new Nigeria.
According to him, he no longer have confidence that Peter Obi have what it takes to build a party that can win Kakistocrats and Kleptocrats.
He noted that Nigeria needs a decisive leader who is selfless enough to secure victory.
Furthermore, he said he is searching for a leader who has integrity, charisma and bravery to mobilise people to sustain victory.
He, however stressed that he is committed, irreversibly, to a great Nigeria built on equity, justice and fairness.
Recently, Okonkwo has been critical of the national working committee (NWC) of the LP led by Julius Abure, chairman of the party.
In June 2024, Okonkwo described the LP as “a secret society led by a group of clowns”, adding that he could not rule out leaving the party.
In a statement published on his X handle on Saturday, the LP chieftain said the recent happenings in the party have “inspired” him to “a determination to chart a new course for my political journey”.
He said: “I have decided to continue my political journey into the great Nigeria of our vision without Peter Obi. I am always 100% loyal to a leader wherever I am working or following the leader. At any time I have doubts and can no longer offer 100% loyalty to him, I will respectfully let him know.
“When I joined myself to his campaign, now that I cannot guarantee my support for his future aspirations, I believe I owe it to everyone to let everyone know.
“With this declaration, I am free to embark on negotiation and consultation with every like-minded people to determine the next step in my political journey, which does not include joining APC or PDP for now, but includes, and not limited to the consolidation of Labour Party.
“We need a solid political party with a solid grassroots base to be able to wrestle power from these kakistocrats and kleptocrats.
“We, therefore, need a decisive leader who will be able to build such a party of integrity and character from the grassroots, because eventually, the majority of the people that will populate a government will proceed from the political party of the leader.”
The Nation
