Kenneth Okonkwo, the spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign in the 2023 general election, has decided to leave Peter Obi and the Labour Party while clearly stating his reasons for this decision.
Okonkwo attributed his departure primarily to dissatisfaction with the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as well as the ongoing crisis within the party. He expressed frustration with both the Labour Party and the broader political landscape, criticizing the inability of the major parties to effectively lead Nigeria.
In his criticism, Okonkwo also targeted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), asserting that both parties are failing Nigeria. He described the combined leadership of the PDP and APC as “trying to cripple Nigeria,” which he believes is now struggling economically and politically.
In a letter issued on Sunday, Okonkwo highlighted that the APC has left the people with no choice but to protest for their survival, as they “see no hope for the future.” He emphasized the need for a political shift to overcome the current challenges and lead the country towards better governance.
Kenneth Okonkwo on why he left the Labour Party, Peter Obi
I am committed, irreversibly, to a great Nigeria built on equity, justice, and fairness, where every citizen will be free and able to aspire to any position or level in life without regard to primordial sentiments built around ethnicity, religion, sex, or circumstances of birth.It’s obvious that the APC or PDP, as presently constituted, do not have what it takes to lead us to a great Nigeria. Indeed their combined leadership is trying to cripple Nigeria as this blessed country is now down economically, politically, and in every other index, leaving the people with no other option than to protest for their survival. They can see no hope for the future.
Unfortunately, by our Constitution, 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 eventually come from the political party of the leader. A party is like a political tree that produces the fruit of the leadership cadre in government. A corrupt tree will never birth good fruits no matter the integrity and good intentions of the leader. Nigeria’s problems today come from a lack of internal democracy in the parties, which becomes a breeding ground for the production of incompetent and corrupt leaders in government.
We also need a decisive leader who will be selfless enough, in boldness and bravery, to secure our victory when the people vote for such a leader. These corrupt and incompetent leaders are not willing to conduct free and fair elections and will always grab and snatch power from any weak and indecisive leader and run away with it. Our judiciary has not proven to be equal to the task in preventing the emergence of electoral bandits who steal electoral victories at gunpoint in the public glare of everyone.
I am earnestly searching for such a leader who has the integrity and also the commensurate charisma and bravery to mobilize the people to sustain the victory in the event that Nigeria votes for such a person. The time for calm down is over.
I recall how we suffered and risked all to liberate Nigeria from the shackles of these kakistocrats and kleptocrats in 2023, only for the victory to be stolen. It is obvious that the judiciary will not give us democracy because of the abuse of the judicial process. The people must take their destiny into their own hands. They must be willing to vote the right person as the President and must be willing to fight to ensure that the person is sworn in as President.
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