Nollywood actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has accused his former principal and Nigeria Democratic Congress 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi of betraying him, while praising former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for recognizing his value despite past criticisms.
Okonkwo, formerly Obi’s ally and spokesperson in the Labour Party, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, a day after being appointed spokesperson for Atiku’s African Democratic Congress presidential campaign.
The actor-turned-politician said he had publicly ended his relationship with Obi in 2024 after concluding that the former Anambra State governor lacked the decisiveness required to lead Nigeria.
“I’ve seen in him certain qualities that make him unfit to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okonkwo said. “He was the one who betrayed me.”
He contrasted Obi’s response with that of Atiku, saying the former vice president overlooked his criticisms because he believed he could contribute to nation-building.
“I talked about Atiku Abubakar here in this studio much more than I would even talk about Peter Obi. And people were telling Atiku Abubakar, ‘This young man that is getting close to you, are you aware of what he said to you?'” Okonkwo recounted.
“Atiku Abubakar said, ‘I am looking at this young man, I am seeing the value in him, and his tenacity to bring about a great Nigeria. That is what I am seeing. And if I have the opportunity, I will bring him in to bring that value to Nigeria.'”
Okonkwo also accused Obi of instituting a defamation suit against him after he left the party, describing the legal action as unnecessary. Obi had demanded a retraction, public apology, and N5 billion in damages after Okonkwo publicly alleged that Obi and others collected bribes from House of Representatives aspirants.