The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi has said Kenneth Okonkwo is still his trusted ally.
Okonkwo, a bigwig of the LP, had stated that he no longer has confidence in Obi’s capability to build a party that can win elections.
He said Obi has “proved that even if the people vote for him, he does not have what it takes to secure the mandate”.
Okonkwo said the recent occurrence in the party have “inspired” him to chart a new political course.
Reacting to the development, Obi cautioned LP against describing Okonkwo as a mole who worked for the opposition party.
He said “having differing views does not make someone an enemy”, adding that “it is crucial to engage in constructive dialogue rather than resorting to personal attacks or negative remarks”.
“Yesterday, I read my dear brother Kenneth Okonkwo’s open letter in which he expressed differing views with me on the skirmishes in our party. And today I saw various responses to the letter,” he said.
“I want to therefore categorically and emphatically declare that Barrister Okonkwo remains my beloved brother and a trusted ally. I sternly caution against referring to him as a mole or making any negative remarks.
“Barr. Kenneth Okonkwo has stood by me through thick and thin, and his loyalty and commitment cannot be overstated or diminished.
“Disagreements and differing opinions are a natural part of any group, society, or movement, and it is essential to maintain a level of respect and decorum even when we disagree.
“In fact, to me personally, I don’t want to work with anyone who always agrees with me, because as a leader, learning and listening are critical components of leadership. I want to listen to those who have different opinions and try to convince them otherwise or take their advice if it is better.”
The Labour Party(LP) had called Okonkwo’s attack on Obi as “unfortunate and attention-seeking”.
In a statement, the part had said Okonkwo’s resignation from the party did not come as a surprise.