Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent figure in the Labour Party, has clarified misconceptions surrounding his political affiliation, emphasizing that he did not defect but rather resigned from the All-Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The veteran Nollywood actor turned politician during interview at Channel TV expressed discomfort with the term “defection,” asserting that he made a conscious decision to resign from the ruling APC before aligning with the Labour Party.
In his explanation, Okonkwo distinguished between defection and resignation, stating, “I’m always not very comfortable with the word ‘defection.’ You defect when you move from one party to another. Let’s say you are a member of the National Assembly; and in Nigeria, you must be a member of a political party to run for office or there won’t be any chance for you to resign. In that circumstance, you can defect. But when you resign and join another party, that’s not defection.”
During the last election, Okonkwo was known for his alliance with Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, and his vocal criticism of President Bola Tinubu and the APC government.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, Okonkwo’s clarification sheds light on the nuances of party affiliations, highlighting the distinction between resignation and defection in the intricate world of Nigerian politics.
