A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would struggle to win support across the South-East ahead of the 2027 elections, describing the “Obi or nothing” slogan associated with some of his supporters as “an abomination in Igbo land.”
Okonkwo, who spoke on Channels Television on Thursday, argued that the slogan contradicted the Igbo principle of collective progress, which he described as “Somadina.”
“Have you not heard of the slogan Obi or nothing? First of all, that slogan is an abomination culturally in Igbo land,” he said.
According to him, “Somadina means that I will not be the only person that will thrive. I will not be the only person that will succeed.”
The legal practitioner referenced the 1979 elections involving late nationalist Nnamdi Azikiwe and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, saying Igbo political leaders historically embraced alliances rather than exclusionary politics.
“Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe knew that the votes of Ndi Igbo alone would not make him president,” Okonkwo said, adding that Azikiwe respected Ekwueme’s decision to remain in another party at the time.
He said the alliances after the election helped the South-East secure key positions, including the vice presidency and the speakership of the House of Representatives, “nine years after the war.”
“And somebody here is telling me Obi or nothing? That is an abomination in Igbo land,” he added.
Speaking further on the recent defections of Obi and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Okonkwo accused both politicians of avoiding primary elections.
“And the reason they went there is because they are scared of participating in primary election,” he said.
