Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has quit his role as the party's presidential campaign spokesman, following the selection of former Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi as the vice-presidential candidate. The development has sparked a contest between two publicists, Chude Jideonwo and Ozioma Ubabukoh, for the media management position of the Atiku/Amaechi ticket.
Jideonwo and Ubabukoh in the spotlight
Sources indicate that Jideonwo, a long-time ally of Amaechi, previously managed media for the Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation when Amaechi served as its Director-General. He co-founded Red Media with Debola Williams, which handled new media content for the All Progressives Congress in 2015. However, the duo parted ways shortly after, leaving Red Media under a hired managing director.
Meanwhile, Ubabukoh, who runs Plexus, served as spokesperson and media consultant to former Education Minister Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili during her 2023 presidential bid. Supporters argue that his eloquence and strong connections with Gen Z content creators and social media influencers would be a major asset to the ADC campaign.
Okonkwo's protest and resignation
Okonkwo's resignation came after the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced Amaechi as the running mate to presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. In a post on X, Okonkwo expressed disappointment over the marginalisation of the South-East, stating: 'I heard from social media that ADC has picked its vice-presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.' He added that he did not join the coalition to further marginalise his people, emphasising that denying the South-East the VP slot after giving up the National Chairman and President would be an unpardonable injustice.
Party defends Amaechi's selection
Abdullahi defended the choice, explaining that Amaechi's emergence followed broad consultations and reflected his strong performance as runner-up in the party's presidential primaries, as well as his track record of service. He noted that Amaechi's experience as former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State, and former Minister of Transportation makes him uniquely qualified to complement Atiku's leadership and strengthen the party's national appeal ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Sources within the ADC presidential circles revealed that Amaechi convinced Atiku to revamp the media management of the ticket, arguing that credibility could be compromised if left in the hands of tricky operatives. This led to Okonkwo's removal, which was yet to be formally resolved before he quit. Okonkwo currently faces multiple court cases for defamation.
