A fresh war of words has erupted within the opposition camp as Senator Umeh and actor-turned-politician traded accusations over their relationship with former Labour Party presidential candidate .
Speaking during a recent interview, Umeh alleged that Okonkwo became dissatisfied with Obi because the former Anambra governor allegedly refused to release funds for political activities.
According to the senator, he had private discussions with Okonkwo last year and advised him against taking a confrontational stance against Obi.
Umeh claimed that Okonkwo had expressed frustration that Obi was unwilling to release money for certain political engagements. He, however, defended Obi’s financial discipline, describing him as a politician who spends prudently and refuses to engage in transactional politics.
“Peter Obi is a different kind of politician.
He will never give you money to vote for him. He has said repeatedly that he will not engage in transactional politics or use money to buy positions to serve the people,” Umeh stated.
But in a swift response, Okonkwo dismissed the allegation, insisting that he had never sought money from Obi or anyone else for political purposes.
The former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesman said he had never lacked financially and had no reason to beg anyone for money.
Okonkwo pointed to his successful acting career, claiming that his achievements in Nollywood provided him with financial independence long before he ventured into politics.
He further alleged that Umeh had previously advocated for Obi to align politically with the North and accept the vice-presidential slot under former Vice President .
According to Okonkwo, Umeh told him that the best political opportunity for the Igbo was for Obi to become Atiku’s running mate. He claimed he questioned whether the suggestion had been presented to Obi and was told that Obi was “stubborn” and unlikely to accept such advice.
In a particularly sharp criticism, Okonkwo accused Umeh of inconsistency, alleging that the senator was once one of Obi’s fiercest critics during their days in the .
He recalled that Umeh had publicly criticized Obi after his departure from APGA and had allegedly predicted political difficulties for the former governor.
The exchange highlights growing divisions among some former allies of Peter Obi ahead of renewed political realignments and discussions surrounding the 2027 general elections.
Neither Obi nor his media team had publicly responded to the latest claims as of the time of filing this report.
