Former Labour Party (LP) member, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi of betrayal.
Okonkwo made the claim in a viral video circulating on X after officially resigning from the party in February 2025.
He stated that “if anyone has betrayed someone, it’s clear to me that Peter Obi has betrayed me,” Okonkwo, who is also a former Nollywood actor and a spokesperson for the LP’s presidential campaign, explained.
He said that Obi had been misled by other party members about the acceptance of their leadership by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Okonkwo advised Obi not to reconnect with these members because he believed they could harm his political career and damage his reputation.
Okonkwo mentioned that he had warned other close associates about Obi’s intentions to return to the controversial leaders of the party.
He expressed that if Obi went back to them, he wouldn’t be a part of it because he stands by his words.
Despite this, just a few days later, Obi went to the office of the group he had been criticized for and publicly supported them, which Okonkwo found upsetting.
According to him, after INEC distanced itself from those party leaders, Obi then tried to present himself as neutral, but he believed that was not a viable position.
He decided to leave the Labour Party when he felt that Obi wasn’t resolving internal issues and doubted Obi’s ability to lead a strong party against corrupt politicians.
Okonkwo said he had hoped Obi would build a solid Labour Party but was disappointed when Obi announced that his focus was not on strengthening the party but on solving Nigeria’s problems overall.
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“I received my first shock when he publicly declared that he didn’t promise Nigerians to build a strong Labour Party, but to solve Nigeria’s problems.
“I was like, does it mean Peter Obi is not aware that without a solid party base, we are heading to nowhere politically?
“However, I continued in his defence believing he will still privately bring the needed solution to LP problems. to no avail.
“PO also publicly demanded that the Abure led National Working Committee must organise an all inclusive convention that will guarantee the participation of all members of the Labour Party in the choice of their leaders.
“This didn’t happen, and surprisingly, PO refused to disassociate himself from the shenanigans and criminal activities of the former NWC as their time has expired.
“Every member of Labour Party is confused today, as to the future of Labour Party because of lack of leadership from PO over the party, and unfortunately, when they look up to me to tell them about PO’s standpoint, I sincerely have nothing to tell them because I don’t know myself.
“I cannot continue to speak on behalf of a leader that I do not know his stand on issues of great importance. I simply don’t know how to manipulate facts,” he said.
Additionally, Okonkwo expressed surprise that Obi did not openly support the labour unions, which helped establish the Labour Party.
These unions now find themselves dealing with individuals trying to take control of the party, and he believed that a simple statement from Obi could have resolved many of these problems.
