ADC presidential campaign spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said no politician from the South-East met the party’s membership requirement to qualify as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Okonkwo also denied claims that he opposed the emergence of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the ADC vice-presidential candidate.

Speaking during a television interview, he explained that while he had expressed a preference for the vice-presidential slot to go to the South-East, his position was based on geopolitical considerations and not opposition to Amaechi.

According to him, the Electoral Act 2026 requires anyone seeking nomination to have been a registered member of the party at least 21 days before the primary election, a condition he said none of his preferred South-East candidates met.

He noted that Amaechi, alongside Atiku Abubakar and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, had shown interest in the party’s presidential race, while Peter Obi’s exit left the South-East without a viable contender under the party’s rules.

Okonkwo added that Amaechi secured over 500 votes during the party’s primary, making it difficult for the party to ignore the support he commanded.

He, however, maintained that the party should have engaged leaders from the South-East to explain the constraints surrounding the selection process.

According to him, Atiku later initiated consultations after returning to Nigeria, ensuring further dialogue among stakeholders before the ticket was finalised.