2027: Atiku will win 19 states in North, 3 in Southwest — Kenneth Okonkwo
Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, has projected that the former Vice President will secure victories in all 19 northern states and three states in the Southwest during the 2027 presidential election.
Okonkwo expressed these expectations in an interview on AIT’s Democracy Today on Monday, as he evaluated the prospects of the main candidates ahead of the vote. He noted that the African Democratic Congress (ADC), under which Atiku is anticipated to run, has already garnered significant support across the North.
“Let me tell you the path to victory for Atiku. The 19 states of the North have fallen for ADC. Settled,” Okonkwo said.
He attributed the projected backing for the opposition party to growing dissatisfaction with the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He pointed to issues such as the minimum wage and rising fuel prices as examples of the economic challenges confronting Nigerians.
“This government is irrational in its decisions. They are anti-people, and the people have gotten the message,” Okonkwo stated, highlighting that a minimum wage of 70,000 naira is insufficient in light of fuel costs nearing 1,500 naira.
The former Labour Party chieftain anticipated gains for the opposition in the South-South region, asserting that Atiku’s running mate would help attract support there. “In the South-South, we expect to win in some states, and we’re confident of securing more than two,” he said, adding that more than 25 percent support is likely in all South-South states due to the local appeal of their candidate.
Okonkwo projected that the ADC could win three states in the Southwest, specifically identifying Osun, Ondo, and Ogun as targets. “In the Southwest, we are likely to get three states. We may win Osun. We won Osun last time in 2023,” he noted.
He further commented on internal issues within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo and Ogun, suggesting that these crises could benefit the opposition. “Yes, there are a lot of crises in Ondo and Ogun,” he said.
Additionally, Okonkwo claimed that Tinubu lacks strong popularity in Lagos, the President’s political stronghold. “Tinubu has never been popular in Lagos,” he asserted.
