As Nigeria approaches another crucial election cycle, Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent figure in the opposition coalition, has urged voters to critically assess political candidates—not just by their party affiliations or campaign promises, but by their understanding and defense of their own manifestos.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV, Okonkwo dismissed the relevance of beautifully written policy documents when candidates themselves are clueless about their contents.
“Nigerians shouldn’t take such people seriously because they don’t know the manifesto,” he said pointedly.
He criticized the current administration, alleging that even President Bola Tinubu may not have fully understood the promises made in the APC’s 2023 campaign document. According to Okonkwo, the reality on the ground—including skyrocketing fuel prices, currency collapse, and economic hardship—betrays the campaign’s lofty pledges.
These manifestos are often written by brilliant professors, but the candidates don’t even read them. They never attend debates or defend their plans. Nigerians should stop falling for that,” he warned.
Okonkwo called for a new political standard where only candidates who can publicly engage with their policies, answer hard questions, and show intellectual capacity should be considered for leadership.
He noted that this was part of the vision guiding the opposition coalition as it works toward presenting credible alternatives in 2027. “We need leaders who are not just popular faces, but who are mentally equipped to govern. We can’t afford to be deceived by another empty document,” he added.
His remarks underscore a growing demand among Nigerian voters for transparency, competence, and substance in leadership—qualities Okonkwo says are non-negotiable in the struggle to rescue Nigeria from its current state.
