By Obinna Ejianya (9News Nigeria – Melbourne, Australia)
The recent news making rounds on Social Media and most media platforms including 9News Nigeria, that erstwhile Nollywood superstar, Kenneth Okonkwo, alternatively known by his screen name as Andy Okeke has dumped the labour party, did not come as a surprise to many Nigerians including myself, citing his political nature.
It is foolishness to think that a cheating woman will easily change especially when the situation that made her cheat in the first place is still presenting itself to her all the time.
Keneth Okonkwo’s antecedents are synonymous with a selfish cheating woman who would pretend to have repented only to do the same thing whenever she faced the same temptation that lured her to cheat in the first place.
In a scathing statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Keneth Okonkwo, once a vocal supporter of Peter Obi and the Labour Party stalwart, says ‘Peter Obi is no longer a brave leader and lacks leadership qualities.’ It’s undoubtedly perceivable that Mr Okonkwo talks with both sides of his mouth.
Some of his claims as reasons for dumping the candidate he vouched so much for were that “Peter Obi is not a brave leader,” “He (Kenneth Okonkwo) no longer has confidence in him (Peter Obi),” and that “Labour Party members are confused over Peter Obi’s lack of leadership.”
This poses a scenario for one to question the integrity, honesty, and rationality of Keneth Okonkwo’s political stance and what he really believes and stands for, or does he solely stand for what he could benefit, and who is ready to make that happen for him? It is pertinent to recall, that Kenneth Okonkwo was a praise singer for the APC party during the campaign that retained former president Muhammadu Buhari and had continued to support the thereafter 2022 presidential candidacy of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Apparently, before the campaign proper, he was hoping to gain some high position in his Enugu State or a national political position, but when such high hopes were dashed and not forthcoming, he dumped Buhari and APC and pretended to have repented against the bad governance of President Buhari and the trend of APC party politics especially on presidential campaign policies.
In a surprising turn of events, as the presidential campaign was heating up in 2022, Keneth Okonkwo decamped from the APC and declared to be a member of the Labour Party. Okonkwo revealed his resignation from the APC Party on his Instagram page where he said he was leaving the APC due to the decision of the ruling party to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2023 elections. He stated: “I just resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians,” he captioned the post.“May God deliver Nigeria from the hands of power grabbers who elevate the quest for power above the quest for purpose. “God bless you and Barka da Sallah to our Muslim brothers.”
Kenneth Okonkwo’s initial defection from the APC to the Labour Party was seen by some as a calculated move to gain political leverage and secure a high-profile position, either at the state or national level. He wangled himself to become the spokesperson for the party and its presidential candidate and was outrageously vocal in support of the party and its candidate.
Now, it is obvious that the greedy self-centered ‘cheating woman’ has been enticed once more and she has started looking elsewhere for her satisfaction. It is not surprising that the saying that ‘Once a cheater is always a cheater,’ and that reality has become phenomenal with Keneth Okonkwo’s style of political opportunity quest.
Kenneth Okonkwo’s pattern of political opportunism has led many to liken him to a “cheating woman” who is unable to remain loyal to a single partner. Just as a cheating woman may pretend to have repented, only to repeat the same behavior when faced with temptation, Okonkwo’s political affiliations seem to be driven by personal gain rather than a genuine commitment to the principles and values of the parties and candidate he has represented. It’s only a matter of time and we shall know the person holding the palm leaves that are luring the goat to follow him.
By Obinna Ejianya (9News Nigeria – Melbourne, Australia)