Why I Asked Igbos To Join APC In 2019 — Actor Kenneth Okonkwo

Nollywood veteran Kenneth Okonkwo is a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration and has disclosed why he asked his Igbo brethren to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

Speaking in a recent interview with BBC Igbo, the actor commented on the feelings of marginalisation among citizens in the southeast and stated that the disunity among Igbos was what was hindering their success in the nation's politics.

He said he asked them to join APC in 2019 so that they would get a chance to fix what he termed "16 years of PDP misrule".

Okonkwo is of the opinion that Nigeria needs a president of Igbo descent so that the present issues in the southeast could be resolved and political inclusion would be engendered.

Kenneth Okonkwo

"…If you ask me, that’s our problem. We’re strong as individuals but not as a group. And until we’re united, our progress in politics will be difficult. We need a leader who understands these things to lead us in unity.

“It’s one reason I’m into politics. In 2019, why I asked the Igbo people to join APC is that the leader then (President Mohammadu Buhari) had four years left of his tenure. If you bring a candidate, they’ll be leading for eight years.

“What was important for us is that we had a president from the south-east in Nigeria. Since we say we’re being oppressed, we have to strategise on how to get into power to fix our land.

“If we backed a candidate, by four years, we’d be entitled to contest for the presidential seat. A Nigerian president has great powers in Africa today due to the level of development. A party that ruled for 16 years did nothing for us.

“APC ruled for 6 years. If there is any marginalization of the Igbo people, then it should be by the party that ruled for 16 years before APC and did nothing. You can’t upturn 16 years of misrule in six years", he said.