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Former spokesman to Obi/Datti campaign organization, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said the opposition parties cannot take power from President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Kenneth Okonkwo alleged that President Tinubu was able to overthrow the due process of Nigeria system to achieve his presidential ambition. He stated that the President cannot allow his overthrow by the opposition in 2027.
The lawyer said the opposition political parties in Nigeria have failed to live up to their expectations by holding the government responsible.
He explained this in an interview with Arise TV, on Tuesday.
He added that opposition parties have failed to prove to Nigerians they can provide good government if elected.
“Well, let me make it clear that as long as politics is concerned, the secret of acquiring political power is cohesion amongst your own group and collaboration with others. So coming together will always be an unbeatable denominator in a democratic process of acquiring power.
“However, I sincerely agree that the opposition is failing because they are concentrating on acquiring power from a ruling party rather than immediately after the election concentrating on consolidating their platforms and then taking on the ruling party on policies to convince Nigerians that they are the alternative force that should take over.
“The issue of the opposition trying to take power from a Tinubu will be a tall dream. And the reason is this, our electoral system and judicial system have been overthrown. As long as the electoral process is concerned. Here are my reasons, I was a member of the presidential team and I can tell you unequivocally that our electoral jurisprudence has been destroyed.
“And the courts did this by giving INEC discretion to do whatever they like. The courts say INEC has discretion on whether to transmit electronically or not. This is not what the law says. Let me make it clear in my own opinion. So power does not proceed any longer from the will of the people in Nigeria but from the discretion of INEC and from the desecration of the judiciary,” Okonkwo said.
The Nollywood legend aligned with the position of the former governor of Jigawa State, that the opposition would be wasting their time if they did not come together and form strong force before next election and live up to their responsibility of holding the current administration to account.
He emphasized that the Court in the last presidential election cases failed to uphold the law, but played to favour the APC.
Kenneth Okonkwo continued, “And having that as bottom line, the opposition they are just wasting their time. What Lamido said is true because a Tinubu outside government was able to overwhelm the system. What about a Tinubu inside government? Now let me tell you why I say our electoral jurisprudence has been overthrown. The court said if you do not bring your petition, if you do not bring all your witness statements on oath, if you don’t bring all your evidence within 21 days, your case is dead.
“Respectfully again, that’s not what the law says. The law says in section 285, subsection 5, petitions should be presented within 21 days. According to rule 4, subsection 1d, petitions simply means the facts that you need to prove, the grounds and the relief sought. It is not the evidence.
“In rule 5, the rule for procedure for election said evidence need not be stated in the petition but the court may give order that you should provide further particulars to prevent surprise and avoid unnecessary expense and to ensure fair and proper hearing of the suit.
“Meaning the court by subpoena can allow subpoena witnesses to give evidence after 21 days because that’s the only way that you will avoid unnecessary expense to the petition and ensure fair hearing. Why? An adverse witness will never voluntarily give you evidence that you will use against it.”
