“Peter Obi betrayed me” – Kenneth Okonkwo spills shocking details on LP rift

Veteran Nollywood actor and former spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign, Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that Peter Obi betrayed him by backing the Julius Abure-led faction of the party, despite earlier warnings against such alignment.

In an interview with Symfoni that gained traction over the weekend, Okonkwo, who publicly resigned from the Labour Party in February 2025, expressed disappointment with Obi’s decision to re-engage with the faction he believes is at the centre of the party’s internal crisis.

He claimed that Obi ignored private counsel and returned to support the controversial leadership group led by Abure, allegedly after being misled into believing the faction had been recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“I can state without hesitation, Peter Obi betrayed me,” Okonkwo said.

“He was deceived into thinking INEC had validated that group. I reminded him that even if that were true, it shouldn’t erase the integrity he publicly upholds. These individuals have no regard for internal democracy. I warned that associating with them could destroy his political credibility,” he explained.

Okonkwo said he made his concerns clear in private conversations with Obi and other close associates, describing the Abure-led leadership as tools in the hands of external political forces determined to undermine Obi’s movement.

According to him, Obi disregarded all the red flags and within three days visited the Abure camp, giving it public endorsement, an action Okonkwo said he viewed as a fundamental breach of trust.

“To add insult to injury,” he noted, “a member of that same executive sent me the video of Obi’s visit as a mockery, knowing full well I had stood my ground in opposition to them.”

Okonkwo also stated that Obi only tried to appear neutral after INEC distanced itself from the faction. “But I told him neutrality is not an option in this situation,” he added.

The Labour Party continues to grapple with a leadership crisis that has splintered its national structure.

The Abure-led wing has faced criticism for alleged financial impropriety and lack of internal democratic processes—issues that clash with the party’s public image as a reform-driven platform.

Okonkwo, once seen as a firm believer in Obi’s political ideals, said his decision to leave the Labour Party was driven by these unresolved contradictions and Obi’s unwillingness to confront them directly.