Actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has announced his withdrawal of support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following reports that former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has emerged as the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Okonkwo disclosed his position in a statement shared on his X account on Monday, expressing dissatisfaction with what he described as the continued exclusion of the South-East from Nigeria’s highest political offices.
Reacting to reports of Amaechi’s selection, Okonkwo said the decision, if confirmed, would further reinforce what he considers the marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone in Nigeria’s political arrangement.
“I heard from 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 stated.
The former spokesperson of the Labour Party presidential campaign argued that the South-East has not produced either a President or Vice President since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999.
According to him, denying the region the opportunity to occupy either of the two highest offices under the ADC platform would amount to sustaining a long-standing imbalance in the country’s political structure.
Okonkwo also pointed to the origins of the ADC, noting that the party was founded in 2005 by Ralphs Nwosu, an indigene of the South-East. He argued that the sacrifices made by leaders from the region in support of political coalitions should not result in further exclusion from key positions.
“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 couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people,” he said.
The politician maintained that his involvement in politics has always been driven by principles of fairness, justice and inclusion rather than personal gain.
He further revealed that he had previously appealed to Atiku Abubakar to demonstrate his commitment to South-East inclusion by selecting a running mate from the region.
“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,” he stated.
Okonkwo said he would be unable to support any presidential ticket that excludes the South-East from both the presidential and vice-presidential positions.
“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 President in 2027,” he added.
His comments add a new dimension to ongoing discussions surrounding political alliances, regional representation and power-sharing arrangements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
