Kenneth Okonkwo Opens Up on Why Atiku's Running Mate is Not From South-East, "He Chose Value"
- Kenneth Okonkwo denied opposing Rotimi Amaechi's selection as Atiku Abubakar's vice-presidential candidate on the ADC platform
- Okonkwo said his earlier remarks reflected a geopolitical preference for a South-East candidate, not personal opposition to Amaechi
- The ADC spokesman also accused his former principal, Peter Obi, of betrayal following Obi's exit from the party's presidential race
Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has pushed back against claims that he opposed the appointment of former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as Atiku's running mate.
Okonkwo made the clarification during an appearance on Channels Television on Thursday, stating that his earlier comments were rooted in a geopolitical position rather than any personal objection to Amaechi.
Source: Twitter
"I do not know where you got that from," he said when questioned about reports of his opposition to Amaechi's emergence.
Okonkwo's position on the South-East slot
The ADC spokesman explained that he had expressed a preference for the vice-presidential candidate to come from the South-East, but acknowledged that the Electoral Act constrained available options.
Under the Act, any prospective candidate must have been a registered party member at least 21 days before a primary, a condition that disqualified several South-East figures he would have favoured.
"It was a geopolitical expression, not the person of anybody," he said, adding that the South-East was left without a viable contender after Peter Obi withdrew from the presidential race, which threw the region "into confusion."
Okonkwo noted that the four figures who had shown serious interest in the presidential ticket before the primary were Atiku, Amaechi, Hayatu-deen and Obi.
He argued that Amaechi's strong showing at the primary, where he secured over 500 votes, made him a stakeholder whose supporters could not be set aside.
"Amaechi got up to 500 and something voters in the primary, you cannot alienate them," he said.
His primary concern, he stressed, was that party leadership should have consulted South-East stakeholders before announcing the final decision, giving them the opportunity to understand the constraints involved and communicate accordingly to their constituents.
Atiku's return and the betrayal allegation
Okonkwo revealed that Atiku was abroad when the party publicly announced the vice-presidential choice and that, upon his return, he immediately initiated dialogue with relevant parties.
"When he came in, everything was halted. When he came in, he went into dialogue, called all the parties," Okonkwo said, describing Atiku as a "great democrat."
He also took aim at Peter Obi, accusing the NDC 2027 presidential candidate of betrayal following his departure from the ADC presidential race, an exit he said compounded the difficulties around South-East representation on the ticket.
Okonkwo speaks on Obi legal action
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Kenneth Okonkwo, the spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar's 2027 presidential campaign under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said he is yet to receive any court documents relating to the ₦8 billion defamation suit filed against him by Labour Party-turned-NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Okonkwo disclosed during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today on Thursday, July 2, where he addressed questions about the ongoing legal dispute.
Source: Legit.ng
