By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Nollywood icon-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has dared former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to publicly explain how he allegedly betrayed him.
Speaking on Sunday Politics, a flagship programme on Channels Television, the former spokesman for the Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Council denied any wrongdoing and pushed back against growing narratives suggesting he turned against Obi after leaving the party in July 2024.
“I was 100% loyal when I was with him,” Okonkwo asserted. “I never consulted any rival political party. I didn’t enter into talks or negotiations. I gave my full commitment. So if there was any betrayal, let him come out and tell Nigerians exactly what I did.”
The dramatic fallout between the two men, once seen as political allies, has become symbolic of the larger turbulence rocking Nigeria’s Labour Party in recent years. Okonkwo, who became one of the most vocal supporters of Obi’s presidential bid, eventually walked away from the party, citing deep-seated internal crises and Obi’s failure to exercise leadership when it mattered most.
The Labour Party’s internal structure has been plagued by infighting, leadership tussles, and legal disputes, which many believe have weakened its ability to function as a credible opposition party in Nigeria’s volatile political climate. Okonkwo says these were some of the main reasons behind his departure.
“I left because of the confusion and infighting. The Labour Party lost focus. And I made a public declaration: I would no longer speak for Peter Obi,” he stated. “That was my right—and it was done with clarity and respect.”
Addressing rumors that he may have been financially induced during the 2023 elections, Okonkwo was unequivocal.
“I never received a dime. No house, no car, nothing from Peter Obi. I worked with conviction, not for compensation,” he said.
He further added that the accusations leveled against him were rooted in ignorance or deliberate misinformation. “People talk about betrayal without understanding what the word even means. Anyone dragging my name is only revealing their own character, not mine.
Okonkwo also responded to a recent comment by Obi in which the former governor reportedly referenced the biblical account of Jesus being betrayed by one of his twelve disciples—widely interpreted as a veiled reference to Okonkwo.
His response was scathing:
“If he’s trying to say he’s Jesus in this political analogy, then let me be clear—I was never his disciple. How do you betray someone you no longer work with? That’s not betrayal; that’s called moving on.”
Despite the heated rhetoric, Okonkwo said he still respects Obi’s right to his views, but cautioned against spiritualizing political disagreements.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But no one fights for God. Politics is not the pulpit.”
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