Former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, has expressed opposition to reports that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has selected its 2027 vice-presidential candidate from the South-South geopolitical zone, warning that such a move would further marginalise the South-East. In a statement posted on his X handle on Monday,……
Former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, has expressed opposition to reports that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has selected its 2027 vice-presidential candidate from the South-South geopolitical zone, warning that such a move would further marginalise the South-East.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Monday, Okonkwo said he learned through social media reports that the party had chosen a running mate from the South-South, adding that if the reports were true, the decision would be “unfortunate.”
According to him, the South-East has neither produced a President nor Vice President since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 and should not be excluded from occupying either position on the ADC ticket in 2027.
Okonkwo argued that denying the region the opportunity to produce either the presidential or vice-presidential candidate would amount to a continuation of what he described as the marginalisation of the South-East.
He also recalled that the ADC was founded by former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, from the South-East, noting that the party leader made significant sacrifices by relinquishing control of the party to facilitate a broader opposition coalition.
“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,” Okonkwo stated.
The former Labour Party chieftain said he did not join the coalition movement to support what he termed the further exclusion of his region from national leadership positions.
“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,” he said.
Okonkwo maintained that his involvement in politics has been driven by the desire to build a country where no region or individual is subjected to discrimination.
He further disclosed that he had urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as having publicly presented himself as “the pathway to the presidency of the South-East,” to demonstrate that commitment 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 said.
Okonkwo warned that he would be reluctant to campaign for any presidential ticket in 2027 that does not feature a South-Easterner as either the presidential or vice-presidential candidate.
“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,” he added.
TVC News reported on Monday, June 15, that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had disclosed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar named former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.