I Won’t Campaign for Atiku if His Running Mate is Not from South-east, says Kenneth Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says he will not campaign for the party’s presidential ticket that does not feature a candidate from the south-east geopolitical zone.

Okonkwo spoke in reaction to reports that Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the ADC, may have settled for a running mate from the south-south region ahead of the 2027 elections.

On Monday, ADC named Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, as Atiku’s running mate.

In a statement posted on X on Monday, Okonkwo said such a development, if confirmed “would amount to a crude marginalisation of the south-east.”

“I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East,” he wrote.

“This Geo-Political Zone has neither produced a President or Vice President since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the President or Vice President in ADC in 2027 will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.”

Okonkwo described the reported exclusion of the south-east from the ticket as unjust, arguing that the region has not produced a president or vice-president since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria,” he said.

“He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people. I did not join the coalition to assist in the further marginalisation of my own people.

“I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the National Chairman and the President, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the Vice President in 2027. I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, Geo-Political Zone, or person will be marginalised.”

On the party’s choice of a vice-presidential outside the south-east, the actor-turned-politician said he joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person would be marginalised.

“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his Vice,” Okonkwo said.

“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as President or Vice in 2027.”