As campaigns begin on 28 September, political party loyalists, like Nollywood actor and lawyer, Kenneth Okonkwo, are warming up to go all out for their preferred candidates.
Mr Okonkwo, who recently joined the Labour Party, has been speaking on the party and the chances of its presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, in 2023.
In an interview with Arise TV on Thursday, the actor urged the Igbos to approach the forthcoming election from a nationalistic perspective.
In the interview, the actor addressed individuals who accused him of presenting Mr Obi as an Igbo candidate before Nigeria.
He also said if he ever saw the presidential candidates of the PDP and APC, Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu, he would beg them to step down and throw their weight behind the LP presidential candidate.
Mr Okonkwo, one of Nollywood’s finest actors, has been heading towards a career in Law and Politics.
An actor and lawyer, he has dived into the political arena to effect a change in the state of the nation.
Okonkwo, formerly in the APC, defected to the Labour Party to support Mr Obi’s political aspiration.
“Nigeria is yearning for a change. We’re yearning for a new Nigeria. Whoever is a Nigerian and is telling you that they are happy with the status quo, such person is doing that for personal, not national interest,” he said.
‘‘Obi is the best candidate for Nigeria. The burden of the survival of Nigeria is now on the hearts of everybody, including the terrorists, because Nigeria has to survive. So, everyone is looking for the survival of Nigeria and a way of escape.
“Peter Obi is now the symbol of that escape, and everybody should fall in line. If I see Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu, I’ll beg them to step down and support Peter Obi’s becoming president.”
“Security, economy and fight against corruption have collapsed. The APC has failed, and their failure is built on the foundation of the loss of the PDP that died first and acknowledged that, so Nigeria is yearning for a change.
Mr Okonkwo joined the Labour Party (LP) on 24 August, about one month after he left the APC over its Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for 2023.
He stated that APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket would permanently destroy the political viability of Christians in nothern Nigeria, if allowed to stand.
Mr Okonkwo added that he resigned his membership in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.
A convener of the Campaign for Equity and Justice in Nigeria, Mr Okonkwo said he joined APC because of its constitutional vow to eliminate all forms of discrimination and social injustice in Nigeria.
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