Kenneth Okonkwo, Nollywood actor-turned-politician, has announced his resignation from the Labour Party, effective February 25, 2025.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Okonkwo cited the party’s internal crisis and lack of leadership structure as key reasons for his decision. He pointed out that, according to the Labour Party Constitution, the tenure of ward, local government, and state party executives is three years. However, he noted that since no congresses had been held within the stipulated time, their leadership had effectively expired.
He further argued that the former National Chairman, Julius Abure, and his National Working Committee (NWC) failed to conduct a legally recognized national convention, leading to INEC's refusal to recognize their leadership. According to him, the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, which was set up by the Labour Party National Executive Council (NEC) to organize fresh congresses and a convention, was the only legitimate structure. However, Abure and his allies allegedly obstructed its operations through legal battles.
Okonkwo, who is also a lawyer, criticized the party’s handling of preparations for the 2027 presidential election, stating that if Abure was committed to a southern candidate challenging President Bola Tinubu, he should cede the national chairmanship to the North.
Declaring that the party was now "non-existent" in its current form, Okonkwo said he had no choice but to resign. "Since the party is non-existent as presently constituted, I am constrained to resign my membership… I pledge my continued loyalty to the Nigerian people in all I will decide to do in my political future," he wrote.
He added that his resignation would take effect on February 25, 2025, the second anniversary of the 2023 presidential election, after which he would align with like-minded Nigerians to work toward good governance.
Okonkwo’s exit marks another significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape as the Labour Party continues to face internal disputes.
