Peter Obi Responds as Kenneth Okonkwo Steps Up Criticism

The political relationship between Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi and his former campaign spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, has come under renewed attention following fresh criticism by the former Labour Party campaign spokesperson.

Okonkwo, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and spokesman for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential campaign, said the Peter Obi he supported during the 2023 election was different from the politician he sees today.

According to Okonkwo, his decision to break away from Obi was based on what he described as changes in political circumstances and information he encountered after the 2023 election.

“The person you’re seeing now is completely different from the person I campaigned for,” Okonkwo said during a recent television interview.

He also said he had previously defended Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, including claims that Obi left office without outstanding debts, salaries, pensions or gratuities, but that he had changed his position after what he described as new information.

“I was misled,” Okonkwo said, adding that he could no longer repeat some of the claims he made in 2023.

The renewed criticism has drawn attention because of the former political alliance between both men. Okonkwo was one of Obi’s prominent spokespersons during the 2023 presidential election before later joining the ADC and aligning with Atiku.

Obi, meanwhile, has previously responded to Okonkwo's allegations by insisting that serious public claims capable of damaging a person's reputation should be supported by evidence.

In July, while explaining his decision to pursue legal action against Okonkwo, Obi said the lawsuit was intended to compel his former ally to substantiate allegations made against him, rather than to prevent criticism.

The dispute between the two politicians has also entered the courts. Obi filed a defamation suit against Okonkwo following allegations made during a Channels Television programme, with the former governor seeking damages and a retraction. Okonkwo has maintained his position and said he would defend his claims in court.

The latest exchange comes as both men now occupy opposing political camps ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Obi campaigning under the NDC and Okonkwo working with Atiku's campaign in the ADC.

While supporters of the two politicians continue to debate their respective records and political positions, the claims and counterclaims surrounding Obi's tenure in Anambra and his current political leadership remain subjects of political and legal dispute.