As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 presidential election, political realignments are already taking shape. Former Labour Party presidential spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has made a compelling case for an opposition coalition, warning that without a unified front, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will coast to an effortless re-election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics,” Okonkwo emphasized that collaboration among opposition figures is not merely strategic—it is existential. “Moving to 2027, I know that there will be a coalition,” he predicted. “Whether it is going to be between Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, I don’t know. But there will be a coalition. Why? Because that will be the only choice the opposition has to make any impact.”
Pressed on whether Tinubu would be unbeatable without a united opposition, Okonkwo did not mince words. “Outrightly, he will just walk into it,” he said, painting a grim picture of the opposition’s chances if internal divisions persist.
Okonkwo drew a historical parallel to 2015, when a coalition of opposition parties under the All Progressives Congress successfully ousted incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. According to him, only a similar consolidation of political forces will stand a chance against the APC’s formidable election machinery, especially in a climate where, as he put it, victory must be “secured” beyond simply winning at the ballot box.
Beyond the strategic imperatives, Okonkwo also touched on the ongoing wave of defections to the APC, attributing them to a calculated belief among politicians that aligning with the ruling party guarantees favorable outcomes in 2027. He criticized this mindset sharply: “It is an absurdity that people will see a sinking house and be running into it for shelter.”
Despite his own resignation from the Labour Party, Okonkwo clarified that he has not joined another political organization. Instead, he underscored the importance of deliberate reflection before making political moves, stressing that his current priority is to advocate for a broad-based coalition of opposition parties.
As the political season gradually heats up, Okonkwo’s remarks serve as both a warning and a blueprint for Nigeria’s opposition: unity is no longer optional—it is a necessity for survival in 2027.
