Prominent Nollywood actor turned politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has officially withdrawn his support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He cited the persistent and unaddressed marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone as the sole reason for his exit.
The decision follows an announcement by the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, which confirmed that former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi—who hails from the South-South—has been selected as Atiku’s vice-presidential running mate for the 2027 general elections.
An “Unpardonable Injustice”
Reacting to the news, Okonkwo expressed strong disappointment, stating that any political arrangement completely locking the South-East out of the top two executive positions in 2027 perpetuates an unfair status quo.
He pointed out that the region has not produced a President or a Vice President since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Okonkwo highlighted the sacrifice made by the ADC’s founder, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, who is from the South-East. According to Okonkwo, Nwosu gave up his leadership role in 2025 to foster an opposition coalition aimed at building a better Nigeria—not to facilitate the further exclusion of his home region.
In a statement released on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Okonkwo made his stance clear:
“I heard from 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… I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further.”
“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. 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.”
