Kenneth Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for the Obi/Datti Campaign Organization, has raised serious concerns regarding the actions of opposition politicians who are reportedly aligning themselves with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He asserts that this shift is aimed at leveraging state institutions to manipulate the outcomes of the upcoming 2027 elections.
In a recent interview, Barrister Okonkwo expressed his belief that under a genuinely free and fair electoral process, the APC would struggle to secure any support from the electorate. He criticized the integrity of the 2023 elections, claiming that the results did not accurately reflect the sentiments expressed at polling units nationwide on election days.
Okonkwo articulated the challenges faced by opposition parties in Nigeria’s current electoral landscape. He questioned the viability of political opposition in a system where legitimate elections appear absent: “How can one effectively participate as an opposition party in a nation devoid of credible electoral processes? My experience as a spokesperson during the 2023 elections leads me to assert unequivocally that the electoral results were not representative of the actual conditions on the ground.”
He further highlighted the absence of polling unit results from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as mandated by law, specifically referencing Sections 62, subsections 2 and 3 of the Electoral Act. Okonkwo’s inquiries into the transparency of the commission’s operations underscore a pressing need for adherence to legal protocols.
The former APC member also voiced concerns regarding the motivations behind the recent defections to the APC, suggesting that these politicians seek to manipulate the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies for their advantage in the forthcoming elections.
“Currently, the trend of opposition members migrating to the ruling party is driven not by genuine alignment, but rather by a strategic necessity to exploit the state apparatus for electoral manipulation in 2027. In a truly free and fair election, the ruling party would not attract support,” Okonkwo stated.
He emphasized that without the commitment of INEC to uphold democratic principles and conduct elections that are free, fair, credible, and verifiable, the distinction between ruling and opposition parties becomes irrelevant. “The foundation of democracy rests upon the integrity of the electoral process. As long as opposition parties perceive the need to integrate into the ruling party to utilize state power for electoral advantage, the essence of political competition will be fundamentally compromised,” he concluded.
