Former Labour Party campaign spokesman and actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has withdrawn his support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following reports that former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi has been chosen as the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 election.
Reacting in a statement posted on X on Monday, Okonkwo said the decision, if confirmed, would deepen what he described as the long-standing political marginalisation of the South-East.
According to him, the region has not produced either a president or vice president since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, making it difficult to justify another election cycle without representation at the highest level.
“I have seen reports that the ADC has selected its vice-presidential candidate from the South-South. If that is true, it is unfortunate and continues the exclusion of the South-East from key national leadership positions,” he said.
Okonkwo argued that denying the region a place on the presidential ticket would send the wrong message, especially considering the sacrifices made by South-East political leaders in support of the coalition.
He pointed to ADC founder Ralphs Nwosu, who hails from the South-East, saying the party was never intended to become a platform that would overlook the interests of its own region.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu in 2005. He gave up control of the party in 2025 to support a coalition aimed at building a better Nigeria. That sacrifice could not have been made to further marginalise his own people,” Okonkwo said.
The former Labour Party spokesman maintained that his political involvement has always been guided by fairness, equity and inclusion.
“I did not enter politics to help sustain the marginalisation of my people. If the South-East has already sacrificed both the party chairmanship and the presidential slot, it would be an injustice to deny the region the vice-presidential position as well,” he added.
Okonkwo also revealed that he had previously urged Atiku to demonstrate his commitment to South-East inclusion through the choice of a running mate.
“The only thing I asked of Atiku Abubakar, who publicly said he supports the South-East presidency, was to show that commitment by choosing a vice-presidential candidate from the region,” he said.
He concluded by making his position clear: he would not support or campaign for any presidential ticket that excludes the South-East from both the presidential and vice-presidential positions.
“If it is confirmed that a candidate from the South-South has been chosen, I wish them well. But I cannot support a ticket that does not have someone from the South-East as either president or vice president in 2027,” he said.
