Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has voiced criticism against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Okonkwo’s critique stems from Atiku’s acknowledgment that the South East region was due for the presidency, yet he chose not to step aside to allow for this succession.
According to Okonkwo, this decision by Atiku exposes the lack of genuine internal democracy within the PDP, contradicting the party’s principles of fair and equitable power distribution as outlined in its constitution.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Okonkwo pointed out that the absence of internal democracy within Nigerian political parties has been a longstanding issue.
He highlighted Peter Obi’s stance against this traditional flaw in the political system.
Obi, who contested as the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, attracted massive support from young people and urban voters disillusioned with the state of Nigerian politics.
During the 2023 election, Peter Obi managed to secure the most votes in Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial hub and home to Africa’s largest city.
This success depicts the growing discontent with the status quo and a desire for change among urban voters, particularly in key economic centres like Lagos.
Kenneth Okonkwo said, “Obi did not want to continue with the old formula of not having internal democracy within a political party and pretending you can do it within Nigeria. In the PDP Constitution, they say they are committed to power shifting and power rotation.
“And then the presidential candidate from the north, Atiku himself, said that it was the turn of the South East, but he decided not to step down.
“A region that has been loyal to you all their lives, then you now say they are not qualified. If there was internal democracy within the party, they wouldn’t have allowed Atiku to run.”
Watch the interview video here (start from 16:30).
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