Former Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has expressed concern over the African Democratic Congress’ reported decision to pick its 2027 vice-presidential candidate from the South-South region, saying such a move would leave the South-East further excluded from top national leadership positions.
Okonkwo made his position known in a statement shared on his social media accounts shortly after reports emerged that the ADC had chosen former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election.
The party announced Amaechi’s selection through a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, after consultations with party leaders, coalition partners and stakeholders from different parts of the country.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo said the South-East remains the only geopolitical zone that has not produced either a President or Vice President since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. He argued that overlooking the region again would deepen feelings of exclusion among its people.
He recalled that the ADC was founded by Ralph Nwosu, an indigene of the South-East, and noted that Nwosu made major sacrifices to support the coalition movement that later emerged within the party. According to Okonkwo, it would be unfair if the region eventually loses out on key positions despite those contributions.
The former presidential campaign spokesperson stated that after the South-East surrendered both the party’s national chairmanship and presidential ticket during coalition arrangements, denying the region the vice-presidential slot would amount to another setback for its political aspirations.
Okonkwo also revealed that one of the requests he made to Atiku Abubakar was for the former Vice President to demonstrate his commitment to supporting the South-East by selecting a running mate from the region.
According to him, his involvement in politics has always been driven by the desire to build a country where every region and citizen receives fair treatment and equal opportunities.
He maintained that if the reports about the vice-presidential selection are eventually confirmed, he would find it difficult to support or campaign for a presidential ticket that does not feature a candidate from the South-East either as president or vice president.
His comments have added to ongoing discussions about regional representation and power sharing ahead of the 2027 general election. Political observers believe the issue may continue to generate debate as parties finalise their strategies and leadership structures for the next electoral cycle.
The development comes at a time when political parties are making key decisions aimed at strengthening their chances ahead of the 2027 elections, with questions of equity, inclusion and regional balance remaining major issues in Nigeria’s political landscape.