A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has said the departure of Peter Obi from the party before the conclusion of its presidential selection process left the South-East politically disadvantaged and created uncertainty over the choice of a vice-presidential candidate.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Thursday, Okonkwo said Obi’s exit disrupted the political calculations within the party and complicated efforts to ensure the South-East was adequately represented on the presidential ticket.
According to him, the region lost its strongest contender when Obi left the party, making it difficult to replace him because the Electoral Act requires a vice-presidential nominee to have been a member of the party for at least 21 days before the primary election.
He noted that respected South-East figures such as Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and former Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala could not be considered because they were not members of the ADC at the required time.
Okonkwo explained that the circumstances ultimately influenced the emergence of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
Addressing criticism of Amaechi’s nomination, he clarified that he never opposed the former governor personally, pointing out that Amaechi is of Igbo extraction.
He said his earlier concerns centred on the need for equitable geopolitical representation, arguing that the South-East has not produced either Nigeria’s president or vice president since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
Okonkwo added that after discussions with the party leadership, he accepted the reasons behind the decision and expressed confidence that internal disagreements had been resolved.
He maintained that the ADC leadership remains united ahead of the 2027 general election and expressed optimism that the party would emerge victorious at the polls under its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
