Omoyele Sowore, a prominent figure in the African Action Congress (AAC), has accused actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo of being one of the tools allegedly used by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to weaken opposition against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The former AAC presidential candidate made the allegations on Monday while reacting to a recent statement by Okonkwo, a former spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council.
Okonkwo, in a statement released on Sunday, asserted that anyone who opposes the idea of a united coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 elections is effectively working for the incumbent. According to him, the biggest hurdle facing Nigerians is not the APC government itself, but the failure of the opposition to form a cohesive front.
“The ruling party has clearly failed the people, but disunity among the opposition remains our biggest setback. A united opposition would spell the end of the APC and usher in a new era. Anyone against such a coalition is playing into Tinubu’s hands,” he stated.
His comments came after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum distanced the party from ongoing coalition talks. In a communiqué issued after their meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, the PDP Governors made it clear that they were not involved in any alliance discussions being spearheaded by the party’s former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Reacting to Okonkwo’s call for unity, Sowore dismissed it as political theatrics, suggesting that many of those advocating for a coalition are, in fact, covert supporters of the APC.
“These individuals have resumed their deceptive politics,” Sowore said. “They are the very people the APC is using to dismantle any real opposition to Bola Tinubu’s disastrous administration.”
Sowore went further to question Okonkwo’s political loyalty and sincerity. “Kenneth Okonkwo began in the APC, later moved to the Labour Party, and disappeared from the scene shortly after the elections. Their reluctance to challenge the man they accuse of stealing their mandate speaks volumes,” he argued.
He also alleged that several Labour Party figures, including some who won elections under its banner, have since aligned with the APC. “They’re now pretending to form a coalition, but in truth, they’re quietly working to maintain the status quo.”
As Nigeria gears up for the 2027 elections, the drama unfolding within the opposition camp highlights deep internal fractures and questions the authenticity of some of its most vocal actors.
