Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has appointed actor-turned-politician and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kenneth Okonkwo, as his spokesperson.
It followed weeks after the politician publicly criticised the party’s selection of vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Okonkwo made the announcement in a statement on his official X handle on Thursday, thanking Atiku for the appointment.
“I give all the glory to God to be appointed by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as his Spokesperson. “I thank HE AA for the massive trust placed in me,” he wrote.
The former presidential campaign spokesperson of the Labour Party, LP, described the appointment as a reflection of Atiku’s inclusive leadership style, saying the former vice president prefers dialogue and consensus building to hostility towards associates with divergent views.
“Instead of taking offence with any of his associates for expressing genuine reservations of any action taken, HE AA always goes for dialogue and compromise that will engender solution to problems,” Okonkwo stated.
He said that discussions with Atiku and other ADC leaders had dwelt on issues around the political interests of the South-East in spite of what he called constraints created by the Electoral Act, 2026.
“At a dialogue with HE AA and other well-meaning members of the African Democratic Congress, the interests of the South-East have been discussed and guaranteed within the existing challenges posed by the Electoral Act, 2026 and the realities on ground,” he added.
Okonkwo also thanked Kashim Imam, former ADC National Chairman Ralphs Nwosu and Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Ekene Onwuka for their roles in strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
I am grateful to my family, fans and friends for their prayers and support, which God answered by covering my errors and colouring my efforts to pave way for this appointment. “Still I covet your prayers for wisdom, courage, provision and protection to execute this challenging post that will usher in a glorious and great Nigeria,” he said.
The appointment comes on the heels of Okonkwo’s public criticism of the ADC’s selection of its vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
He had warned that reports that the party was considering a candidate from the South-South region for the vice-presidential slot, could further deepen what he described as the continued marginalisation of the South-East in Nigeria’s political structure.
He said such a decision would further deny the South-East the opportunity of producing either the president or vice president, a situation he said had been on since 1999.