Atiku Appoints Kenneth Okonkwo As Spokesperson After ADC VP Dispute

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has appointed actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo as his spokesperson, weeks after Okonkwo publicly criticised the African Democratic Congress over its vice-presidential choice for the 2027 election.

Okonkwo announced the appointment on Thursday, thanking Atiku for what he described as the confidence reposed in him. He said talks with Atiku and other ADC leaders addressed concerns about the political interests of the South-East within the party’s 2027 framework.

The appointment gives Atiku a prominent South-East-facing voice at a time when the ADC is still managing reactions to its decision to name former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi as Atiku’s running mate.

Okonkwo had earlier warned that choosing a South-South vice-presidential candidate could deepen South-East complaints about exclusion from the presidency and vice presidency since 1999.

Punch and Daily Post also reported the appointment, with both accounts linking it to Okonkwo’s recent criticism of the party’s VP selection and his subsequent reconciliation talks with Atiku’s camp.

Sources: Vanguard, Punch, Daily Post