Actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has withdrawn his support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following reports that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has emerged as the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) for the 2027 general election.
Okonkwo announced his decision in a statement shared via his X account on Monday, expressing dissatisfaction over what he described as the continued marginalisation of the South-East in Nigeria’s political power-sharing arrangement.
The former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesman said he received reports indicating that Amaechi, who hails from the South-South region, had been selected as Atiku’s running mate, a development he argued would further sideline 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.
According to Okonkwo, the South-East remains the only geopolitical zone that has neither produced a President nor Vice President since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
“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,” he stated.
The politician also referenced the origins of the ADC, noting that the party was founded in 2005 by Ralphs Nwosu, an indigene of the South-East, and argued that sacrifices made by leaders from the region should not result in further political exclusion.
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“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.
Okonkwo maintained that his participation in politics has always been guided by principles of equity, fairness and inclusion, insisting that the South-East deserves representation at the highest levels of government.
“I did not join politics 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 added.
The former actor further disclosed that he had previously urged Atiku to demonstrate his commitment to the political inclusion of the South-East through the choice of 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 concluded by saying he would be unable to campaign for 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 in 2027,” he said.
His comments add to growing political discussions surrounding zoning, inclusion and power rotation ahead of the 2027 general election, as parties and coalition groups continue consultations on their presidential tickets and electoral strategies.