Okonkwo Accuses APC of Using Thugs, Security to Disrupt ADC

Actor-turned-politician and former spokesperson of the Labour Party, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying thugs and state security operatives to disrupt political meetings and rallies organised by opposition parties across Nigeria.

Okonkwo, who is now a member of the National Working Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the allegations while speaking on Arise Television on Monday. He dismissed suggestions that the ADC was losing relevance, insisting that the party remained “vibrant and determined” to challenge the APC in the 2027 general elections.[irp]

“ADC is on fire. The only thing is that we have an APC that is using every method to intimidate and scatter the plans of the opposition,” Okonkwo said.

The Nollywood veteran alleged that several ADC meetings had been violently disrupted in different states — including Kaduna, Lagos, and Ekiti — often with the involvement or supervision of security agencies.

“Recall in Kaduna State, ADC wanted to meet and they were scattered by thugs. Recall in Lagos, when Rhodes-Vivour wanted to have a meeting of the ADC, they were scattered by thugs under the supervision of the security agencies,” he said.

“In Ekiti State, APC again went to scatter ADC when they were having their meeting. According to the Electoral Act, the security agency is meant to provide security for any party that wants to organise any rally or meeting.”

Okonkwo accused the APC of violating the Electoral Act, which requires security agencies to provide equal protection to all political parties during meetings, rallies, and campaigns.[irp]

Describing the ruling party as “jittery and afraid of losing power,” the ADC chieftain predicted that the APC’s internal divisions and governance failures would lead to its downfall in the 2027 elections.

“APC is jittery; ADC is going to form the next government of Nigeria. We are strategising, and we are going to beat this APC — they are already imploding,” he declared.

Okonkwo also dismissed the recent wave of defections into the ruling party as a “panic move” that would not prevent the APC from being voted out.

“The APC will lose the next election because it is the people of Nigeria against the APC,” he said confidently.

The APC is yet to respond officially to Okonkwo’s allegations.