A former spokesman for the Obi/Datti Campaign Organization, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused opposition politicians of joining the ruling All Progressives Congress to exploit state institutions for election manipulation in 2027.
In an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Okonkwo argued that under a genuinely free and fair electoral system, the APC would be unable to secure any votes from the Nigerian public.
He further contended that the results of the 2023 elections did not accurately reflect the realities on the ground at the polling units.
Okonkwo criticized the current electoral system, suggesting that it is virtually impossible for opposition parties to effectively challenge the ruling party.
He also raised concerns about INEC’s failure to release detailed polling unit results for the 2023 presidential election, as required by law.
The former APC member claimed that politicians defecting to the ruling party are doing so in order to manipulate the 2027 elections with the support of INEC and security agencies. He stressed that unless the electoral system is reformed to ensure free and fair elections, opposition parties would remain powerless.
Okonkwo concluded that the shift of opposition politicians to the APC is driven by a desire to use state power to influence the outcome of future elections. He called for the establishment of a credible, transparent, and verifiable electoral process to ensure the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.
“Do you play ruling party or opposition party in a country where there is no election at all? What I mean is that I was a spokesperson in 2023 election and I will say unequivocally that 2023 election did not reflect anything that was done on the ground.
“Till today, has INEC shown polling unit results by polling unit of the presidential election 2023? The law says that’s what they should do. Section 62, subsection 2 and 3 of the Electoral Act, have they shown that?” Okonkwo asked.
“Now, the opposition are moving into the ruling party, not because they want to. As a matter of fact, because they need the ruling party in order to use INEC and the security agencies to rig election. In a free and fair election, no one person will near APC with a long rope.
“Except we begin to do a free, fair, credible and verifiable election, there is nothing like ruling party or opposition party. Because that is the pillar of democracy. What the opposition is doing is that they are running into the ruling party, so that they will use the state apparatus of power to rig election 2027,” he stated.
