ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A former spokesman for Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused the former Anambra State governor of wasting a rare political opportunity that could have transformed him into a great Nigerian leader.
Okonkwo said Nigerians had, at the time, shown an unusual willingness to hand Obi political power without demanding the kind of political bargaining and inducements traditionally associated with elections.
He, however, argued that Obi failed to make the sacrifices required to consolidate the opportunity.
Speaking on the Selah Meditate Podcast, Okonkwo was asked to describe President Bola Tinubu, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Obi in one sentence.
On Obi, he said: “Peter Obi is a man who had opportunity of being great and dashed it by himself.”
According to him, political success requires difficult compromises and sacrifices, insisting that Obi needed to do whatever was necessary to retain the support and opportunity Nigerians had offered him.
READ ALSO Peter Obi Lacks Leadership, Says Kenneth Okonkwo
“No system will give you egg without breaking it. You can’t make an omelet without breaking an egg,” he said.
According to Vanguard, Okonkwo maintained that Obi’s political situation was exceptional because Nigerians were prepared to support him without the conventional demands that usually accompany the pursuit of political power.
“For the first time in Nigeria, people are willing to give somebody power free of charge. You should be able to make every sacrifice needed, no matter what,” he added.
The former campaign spokesman said Obi had the goodwill of both Nigerians and what he described as divine favour, but needed to match the opportunity with the necessary political sacrifices.
“He’s a man that God and living people would have loved to give him what he wants, but he needs to make the necessary sacrifice, no matter what it will entail, to hold onto that free gift,” Okonkwo said.
Okonkwo also offered contrasting assessments of Atiku and Tinubu during the interview.
READ ALSO 2027: Okonkwo Says Obi Cannot Defeat Tinubu Alone
He described Atiku as a “benevolent leader” who had remained committed to his presidential ambition because of his desire to provide what he considers the benefits of his leadership to Nigerians.
“If you tell me to describe Atiku, I will say benevolent leader that doesn’t want to give up until he ensures the nation has a taste of the benevolence,” he said.
He further described the former vice-president as a “good leader” and “humane leader” seeking to contribute to solving Nigeria’s problems within his lifetime.
His assessment of Tinubu was markedly different, with Okonkwo describing the President as the “worst leader” Nigeria would ever have.
Okonkwo was a prominent member of Obi’s campaign team during the 2023 presidential election before later aligning with the opposition political camp around Atiku.
Obi came third in the 2023 presidential election behind Tinubu and Atiku. He has since remained a major opposition figure and is currently seeking the presidency ahead of the 2027 election on the platform of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.