Uju Ekenedo – US.
A diaspora Igbo leader and publisher, Ogene Ndigbo Newspaper, Ejike Ikezuagu has criticised the remarks attributed to Nollywood actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo, who suggested that no South‑East politician met ADC’s internal membership requirements during discussions on Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.
Ikezuagu said “The interpretation is misleading and fails to reflect the documented contributionsof prominent South‑East leaders within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Read This: No Escape Route, Kenneth Okonkwo’s Attempt to Shift Blame Falls Flat, Chris Egbuna.
Although Okonkwo’s comment addressed party structure and membership criteria, Ikezuagu said it was wrongly interpreted as suggesting the South‑East lacked capable leaders, a claim he argued is not supported by facts.
He said Mr Okonkwo spoke out of ignorance of ADC’s history and urged him to respect South‑East Igbo political leaders, while advising self‑serving political actors to stop using respected Igbo leaders for political games.
Ikezuagu said South‑East political leaders made significant contributions to ADC’s growth and deserve recognition.
Ikezuagu said, “I am neither a member of ADC nor speaking on its behalf, but facts must be upheld, and selfish Igbo politicians should not undermine the integrity of respected Igbo political leaders.”
Ikezuagu said Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was a central figure in ADC’s South‑East bloc and one of the region’s most influential voices during the last primary cycle. He said Ihedioha made substantial, strategic, and nationally recognised contributions, including mobilising strong support for Atiku Abubakar during the party’s primary season.
Ihedioha raised ₦22.6 million in the South‑East for ADC’s election activities, helped build a national reform coalition within the party, and provided stability during leadership transitions. He also led a strong Imo ADC delegation during the Enugu political realignment, strengthened the party’s grassroots structure across Imo State, and mobilised South‑East leaders and technocrats into ADC.
Read This: Nigeria: Calls for State Police Intensify; Citizens Warn Against Political Abuse.
These contributions demonstrate that the South‑East had credible, committed, and influential figures within ADC.
Chief Ralph Nwosu, ADC’s founding national chairman and longest‑serving leader, is widely regarded as the architect of the party’s national structure.
He grew ADC from a small platform into a nationally recognised party, preserved its people‑centred reformist identity, led key conventions and coalition efforts, and kept the party stable through turbulent political periods.
Although Prof. Kingsley Moghalu later left ADC, his influence remained significant. He brought technocratic credibility, attracted young professionals and diaspora Nigerians to the party, strengthened its reformist image, and raised ADC’s national profile during his presidential campaign.
Ikezuagu said Okonkwo’s interpretation was wrong, arguing that South‑East politicians in ADC were structurally qualified to be considered as Atiku’s running mate because many had been with the party from its early days.
Ikezuagu argued that the South‑East produced strong fundraisers, grassroots mobilisers, national coalition builders, ideological influencers, and party stabilisers, qualities political parties consider when choosing a running mate. He said the claim that the region lacked qualified individuals is not supported by the historical record.
According to Ikezuagu, ADC’s eventual running-mate choice was shaped by internal party structure, strategy, and coalition balance, not by any lack of capable South‑East leaders. He added that, based on the party’s membership structure and duration requirements, South‑East leaders were qualified for consideration.
Ikezuagu urged commentators to be accurate and respectful, saying political analysis must rely on verified facts. He said South‑East leaders made major contributions to ADC’s growth and national relevance, and that ignoring their role is unfair and dismissive of the region’s political investment.
Ikezuagu made clear that Kenneth Okonkwo’s interpretation of ADC membership rules should not be seen as proof that the South‑East lacked qualified leaders.
Read This: Stop and Search in London, a Heavy Burden on Africans, and the Call for Urgent Reforms, Chief Dike.
Ikezuagu said he is not an ADC member but is commenting on publicly known political events out of respect for Igbo leaders.
