Kenneth Okonkwo has clarified that his split with Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, is strictly political and does not affect their personal relationship.
Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Friday, Okonkwo refuted claims of a fallout, insisting that Obi remains his “brother”, even though their political paths have diverged.
“I don’t have any personal problems with my brother Peter Obi. Politically, I have told you what I think is the winning strategy. That’s a whole new thing altogether,” he said.
Okonkwo, who was Obi’s spokesperson during the 2023 presidential campaign, resigned from the Labour Party in June 2024, citing frustrations with what he described as the party’s failure to inspire the leadership needed to solve Nigeria’s challenges.
He also said at the time that he no longer believed Obi could build a political structure capable of winning elections.
“Labour Party was our base. Whatever happened to that party has happened to our alliance,” Okonkwo said.
He added that his decision to leave the LP was not a personal rejection of Obi but a recognition that their political strategy needed to evolve.
Okonkwo explained that he remains committed to supporting whoever emerges as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Whoever wins the ADC presidential primary, I will support. We (Peter Obi and I) met ourselves in the Labour Party, and if the party is no longer there, going forth would be a new arrangement,” he said.
The former Labour Party chieftain reiterated that while he and Obi may no longer share the same political platform, the personal bond between them remains strong.
His remarks come amid growing speculation over whether Obi would join the ADC, as the party positions as the rallying ground for opposition forces ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
