By George Omagbemi Sylvester
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and spokesperson for the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said the exit of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi from the party left the South-East politically disadvantaged and created confusion during the process that produced the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
Speaking on Thursday, July 16, 2026, during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Okonkwo explained that Obi’s departure before the conclusion of the ADC presidential primary created a vacuum that deprived the South-East of a stronger bargaining position in the party’s leadership calculations.
According to him, the Electoral Act prevented the party from considering several prominent South-East figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, because they were not registered members of the ADC at least 21 days before the primary election.
He said this forced the party to settle for the “nearest person” to the region in selecting its vice-presidential candidate.
Okonkwo clarified that his earlier comments were not directed against the choice of Rotimi Amaechi as the vice-presidential candidate, noting that his concern had always been about ensuring fair geopolitical representation for the South-East, which has not produced either a president or vice president since 1999.
He added that the party had since addressed the concerns internally and expressed confidence that the ADC remained united ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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