Peter Obi is enemy of Ndigbo, a fraudster – Kenneth Okonkwo
Nollywood superstar Kenneth Okonkwo is going for Mr Peter Obi’s throat again. He said that Obi is enemy of Ndigbo and a “political con man”. He made the remark during a Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily interview early today.
Okonkwo, who was one of the most vocal voices within Obidient Movement during 2023 elections, has turned to Obi’s arch-enemy. And he is simply too good at highlighting those aspects of the former Anambra State governor’s that his opponents want to hear.
During the interview, he called Obi a “political con man,” and accused the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) of being the enemy of progress of the Igbo race.
“He would visit Nigerians in the diaspora, siphon money from them, and return home while claiming he does not give ‘shishi.’ I don’t give shishi, but you collect shishi,” Okonkwo said.
During the last general elections, “we no dey give shishi” was among the slogans Peter Obi’s supporters used to drive the movement. Echoing that aspect of the last also highlighted the former governor’s frugal personality – a framing likely to make some ‘Obidients’ have a rethink on the benefits of supporting his bid to presidency in 2027.
“South East people are marginalised in the Federal Government. We fight to eat, and after that, some of our leaders are calling us and scamming us.
“I told them that Peter Obi is going to scam them – that he is a political con man. Look at what is happening,” the actor-turned-politician added.
Ultimately, Kenneth Okonkwo painted Obi as an opportunist, which actually would resonate with a lot of people.
Peter Obi came to limelight when he reclaimed his stolen mandate from former Anambra State Governor Chris Ngige – through the help of Igbo warlord Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu. He served his two terms as a governor under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He made no effort to build on APGA and to expand its reach in the East, but instead defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In 2019 he ran as a vice-presidential candidate with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar under PDP, but lost to Muhammadu Buhari. At the buildup of the party’s presidential primary elections for 2023, Obi, again, defected to Labour Party (LP). He left LP for the African Democratic Congress (ADC). From there he decamped again, fearing that Atiku might defeat him in ADC primaries, perching with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Then, NDC gave him ticket without his having to raise a finger in fighting for it.
Although the APC candidate President Bola Tinubu may be getting but few things been right, polls suggest that voters see Obi more as a fair-weather politician who isn’t to be trusted.