A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has criticized Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo over comments suggesting that the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had no option but to accept the nomination of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Eze described the remarks attributed to Okonkwo, who serves as spokesperson to Atiku, as “sad, unfortunate and insulting” to both Atiku Abubakar and Amaechi.
According to Eze, portraying Amaechi as someone imposed on Atiku undermines the former Vice President’s political experience and independence in making crucial decisions.
“Those of us who have followed Atiku’s political evolution know that he has a mind of his own when it comes to taking major political decisions,” Eze stated.
The former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) also argued that the comments diminished Amaechi’s political credentials, highlighting his years of service as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor of Rivers State, Minister of Transportation, and a leading presidential aspirant.
Eze maintained that Amaechi’s emergence as Atiku’s running mate should be viewed as a strategic asset to the ADC’s presidential ticket rather than an imposed decision.
He stressed that Amaechi’s political experience and influence would strengthen the party’s chances in the 2027 general election.
While noting that he had no objection to Kenneth Okonkwo serving as spokesperson, Eze urged him to exercise greater caution in his public statements to avoid creating unnecessary controversy or portraying party leaders negatively.
He further advised Okonkwo to emulate seasoned political communicators, including Paul Ibe and Mallam Shehu Garba, in handling sensitive political issues.
Eze also appealed to ADC leaders, members and supporters to remain united ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that internal disagreements could weaken the party’s chances of presenting a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Our focus should remain on building a united front. This is the time for cohesion, discipline and responsible communication. We must avoid actions capable of creating division if we are to achieve our collective goal in 2027,” he said.
The ADC chieftain concluded by urging party stakeholders to prioritize unity and responsible communication as preparations for the next general elections intensify.
