Posted by Chinenye on Fri 04th Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
A fresh political storm is brewing ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections, with a prominent opposition figure claiming Peter Obi was drawn into a move that could cost him politically.
(Kenneth Okonkwo. Photo Credit: TheCable)
A spokesman for the African Democratic Congress has accused Peter Obi of falling into a political trap by moving from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Kenneth Okonkwo, speaking during an interview on a current affairs television programme on Thursday, claimed that Obi was deliberately lured away from the ADC by the NDC, only to find himself trapped within that party.
Okonkwo defended Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, as the true leader of the opposition.
He explained that Atiku formally challenged President Bola Tinubu to a debate precisely because he holds this position.
The lawyer pointed out that the NDC only officially entered opposition politics on December 10 through a court order, and legally remains classified as a political association rather than a fully registered political party, according to that same court judgment.
The NDC is currently appealing this ruling.
According to Okonkwo, the opposition candidates came together and formed a coalition that selected Atiku Abubakar as their unified choice on July 2, 2026.
He stated that Peter Obi was present when this decision was made.
However, Obi subsequently left for the NDC, a move Okonkwo characterised as walking directly into a carefully laid trap designed to remove him from the opposition coalition.
Okonkwo insisted that all opposition candidates have now agreed on Atiku Abubakar as their leader and standard-bearer for the 2027 elections.