Kenneth Okonkwo has announced that he is stepping away from his earlier support for Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential race, citing concerns over regional representation and fairness in political selection.
According to his position, the decision was triggered by the reported choice of a vice presidential candidate from the South-South region. He argued that such a move, if confirmed, would amount to continued political exclusion of the South-East geopolitical zone.
Okonkwo, in a statement shared via his official X handle, expressed disappointment over the development and maintained that he could not support a ticket that further sidelines his region. He stressed that his political involvement has always been driven by the desire to promote equity, justice, and balanced inclusion across all parts of the country.
He specifically criticised the reported selection of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the vice presidential candidate, describing it as a decision that ignores the long-standing political marginalisation of the South-East. He noted that since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the South-East has neither produced a president nor a vice president, a situation he believes should be addressed rather than extended.
The actor-turned-politician stated that he had recently seen reports suggesting that the ADC had settled on a South-South figure as running mate, and he warned that if such reports were accurate, it would deepen feelings of exclusion already experienced by the South-East region.
He added that his involvement in politics was not to reinforce regional imbalance but to challenge it. According to him, his participation in any political coalition is guided by principles of fairness and equal opportunity, not by personal or sectional advantage.
Okonkwo further explained that he had previously expressed willingness to support Atiku Abubakar on the condition that meaningful steps would be taken to ensure inclusivity, particularly by considering a vice presidential candidate from the South-East. He said he believed such a gesture would have demonstrated genuine commitment to national unity and equity.
However, with the current direction of events, he stated that he could not in good conscience continue to campaign for a ticket that does not reflect what he described as balanced national representation.
He reiterated that his stance is rooted in a broader call for restructuring political inclusion in Nigeria, where no region feels permanently excluded from the highest levels of leadership.
Okonkwo concluded that his withdrawal of support should be understood as a protest against what he views as persistent imbalance in the distribution of political offices. He emphasized that he remains committed to advocating for a system where every geopolitical zone has a fair opportunity to participate in leadership at the national level.
