Kenneth Okonkwo Denies Opposing Amaechi’s VP Nomination

Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has refuted claims that he opposed the nomination of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

Okonkwo also said Atiku appreciated his political value despite his past criticism of the former vice president, while alleging that his former principal and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, betrayed him.

During an appearance on Channels Television on Thursday, Okonkwo explained that his earlier remarks about the vice-presidential slot were rooted in regional considerations rather than opposition to Amaechi personally.

“I do not know where you got that from,” he said in response to questions about whether he opposed Amaechi’s emergence.

He further defended the party’s decision, saying: “First and foremost, he is the choice of the party and everybody that is a loyal party member.”

Okonkwo stated that he initially believed the vice-presidential ticket should go to the South-East but acknowledged that the Electoral Act 2026 created eligibility limitations.

“I said I expected that the vice president should come from the South-East. It was a geopolitical expression, not directed at anybody personally. I also understood the limitations within the Electoral Act 2026. For anybody to be eligible to contest, you must have been a member 21 days before the primary. The people from the South-East whom I would have preferred were not even registered members, so we were restricted,” he explained.

He noted that Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, Hayatu-deen, and Peter Obi were the major aspirants interested in contesting the party’s presidential primary.

“Rotimi Amaechi, Hayatu-deen, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi were the people showing interest in contesting the presidential election. When Peter Obi left, the South-East was thrown into confusion, and you have to pick a vice president who has shown the willingness to undertake the demanding task of campaigning across the country,” he said.

According to Okonkwo, Amaechi’s strong showing at the primary election, where he secured more than 500 votes, made it impossible for the party to ignore his supporters.

“Amaechi got over 500 votes in the primary. You cannot alienate those supporters,” he stated.

Despite backing the decision, Okonkwo insisted that South-East stakeholders should have been consulted before the final announcement was made.

“What I was agitating for was that even if there were constraints, the people of the South-East should have been brought together and informed about those constraints. That way, they would know what to tell their people,” he said.

He also disclosed that Atiku was outside Nigeria when the vice-presidential announcement was made and later initiated consultations upon his return.

“Atiku was not in Nigeria when the party made the announcement. He travelled, and when he returned, he did the needful. If you recall, everything was halted. He went into dialogue and called all the parties. That is the beauty of this great democrat,” Okonkwo added.

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