“The ADC Is the Only Opposition; PDP and LP Only Exist on Paper” — Kenneth Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo, a lawyer and member of Nigeria’s opposition coalition, has described the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the country’s only genuine opposition party, claiming that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) exist merely on paper.

Speaking on Channels Television’s *Sunrise Daily* on Friday, Okonkwo argued that leaders of the PDP and LP either support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or have aligned themselves with the ADC, undermining the relevance of their own parties. “Strictly speaking, there is no longer any party like the PDP or LP. They are just existing on paper because whoever is in the PDP is either supporting the APC or the ADC. That’s what it is,” he said.

Okonkwo cited the example of former PDP governor Nyesom Wike, who publicly declared his support for another party’s presidential candidate, saying such actions signify the decline of the party’s influence. He further noted that the Labour Party lacks the structure necessary to compete effectively in the 2027 presidential election.

“The ADC is the only political party that is the opposition party,” Okonkwo emphasized. Asked whether the ADC might adopt former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, he stated that the party will conduct a democratic primary and support whoever emerges to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027. “The ADC is courting every Nigerian without any preference for anybody because in 2027, it’s going to be the people of Nigeria against the APC, and the ADC is that alternative that they should have,” he said.

The ADC-led opposition coalition includes prominent politicians such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, ex-Senate President David Mark, former ministers Rauf Aregbesola and Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai. On July 2, 2025, these leaders formally adopted the ADC as the platform to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Meanwhile, the ruling APC maintains that President Tinubu will prevail against any opposition coalition. On June 25, 2025, Tinubu described coalition leaders as “political internally displaced persons” and urged Nigerians not to give them attention, asserting, “The hope is here,” during a state visit to Nasarawa where he inaugurated new projects.