RismadarVoice Reporters
September 4, 2026
Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the presidential campaign of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said an opposition coalition remains the best strategy for defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Okonkwo also dismissed the possibility of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), defeating Tinubu if he contests without the backing of a broader opposition alliance.
He made the remarks during an interview with Ibeju Upgrade Media.
According to Okonkwo, Obi would struggle to defeat the incumbent president on his own, even if former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso were to serve as his running mate.
He argued that the opposition must unite around a strong political arrangement if it hopes to challenge Tinubu successfully in 2027.
“Coalition is the only way out,” Okonkwo said, recalling Tinubu’s earlier remarks about the nature of political power.
He further argued that Obi would face difficulties securing sufficient support in northern Nigeria if he contested the election without a broader alliance.
“If Peter Obi goes against Tinubu alone, Tinubu will eat him like biscuits,” Okonkwo said, insisting that Obi lacked the political reach required to defeat Tinubu under such circumstances.
He also questioned Obi’s level of support in Kano State, arguing that Kwankwaso would not significantly strengthen an Obi-led presidential ticket.
“Kwankwaso has nothing to contribute to the ticket. Even in Kano, Kwankwaso has lost,” he said.
