I Won’t Campaign For Atiku For Picking Amaechi As Running Mate- Kenneth Okonkwo Declares
- By Metropolix ~
- June 17, 2026 --
- 0 Comment
— Kenneth Okonkwo
By Adeola Idris
Following the declaration that African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar has finally settled for Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister of transportation as his running mate, a chieftain of the party, Kenneth Okonkwo has vowed not to campaign for Atiku since his running mate is not coming from the South-East geographical zone.
On Monday, ADC named Rotimi Amaechi 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.”
RELATED ARTICLES
