An African Democratic Congress, ADC, support group in Enugu State, ADC Likeminds, has lauded former Vice President and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for appointing Nollywood actor and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, as his spokesperson for the 2027 election campaign.

The ADC group, in a statement signed by Comrade Adolphus Ude, described the appointment as another confirmation of the reputation Atiku has built over time as a talent spotter and champion of inclusive governance in the country.

The Enugu ADC support group expressed appreciation to the former Vice President for finding one of its own worthy for such a key role in his 2027 presidential campaign.

According to the statement, the appointment is a recognition of Okonkwo’s positive contributions to the growth and advancement of the nation, through his active involvement in the Nigerian film/media industry and politics.

The statement said, “We are sincerely grateful to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for this demonstration of confidence in one of us. We thank him immensely for finding Kenneth Okonkwo worthy to serve as his spokesperson for the 2027 presidential campaign. By this well-thought-out appointment, the former Vice President has once more proved his mettle as a talent spotter.

“Atiku Abubakar is well known for discovering, mentoring and promoting exceptional talents across the country. During his tenure as the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo (May 1999-May 2007), he was known for assembling a globally acclaimed economic team for Nigeria.

“He spotted talents like Malam Nasiru El Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Professor Osita Ogbu and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, to mention but a few. That era was Nigeria’s best in economic management since 1999. The confidence of the international lenders in the economic team headed by Atiku Abubakar, led to the cancellation of Nigeria’s unsustainable $30 billion debt by the Paris Club creditors.”

The ADC support group noted that some of the people discovered by Atiku have gone ahead to shape international institutions, such as the World Bank, African Development Bank (AFDB) and World Trade Organisation (WTO).

According to the group, beyond the economic realm, Atiku spotted talents in other areas, such as education, agriculture and media industries, mentoring and promoting them, until they became household names in Nigeria today.

“Malam Garba Shehu, for instance, was a journalist when Atiku discovered him and made him his media aide. He later loaned Malam Shehu to late President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 presidential campaign. Shehu eventually became the most vibrant spokesperson of the immediate past administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.    

“One thing about Atiku Abubakar is that he looks beyond tribe and creed in seeking out talents, going for them wherever they can be found, unlike his contemporaries in Nigerian politics, who cannot look beyond their own ethnic group,” the party stated.

Besides spotting talents, the Enugu ADC support group described the appointment of an Igboman by Atiku as his spokesperson as another powerful testimony of his reputation as a champion of inclusion in the country.

The group noted that if Atiku has given the South East a sense of belonging in his campaign, the people of the region should expect more when he enters into Aso Rock in May 2027.

It also expressed confidence in Okonkwo’s ability to bring his wealth of experience, garnered over the years in the film/media industry and politics, to bear on the presidential campaign of the party, urging him to courageously and fearlessly go all out in marketing the ADC presidential candidate and the party’s manifesto to Nigerians.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said his 2027 governorship bid will not depend on the political influence of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi or the Obidient movement, insisting that years of grassroots mobilisation have positioned him for the contest.

Rhodes-Vivour, who spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, was responding to questions on how he intends to prosecute his campaign following Obi’s exit from the ADC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) amid the party’s internal legal disputes.

Asked how he would navigate the election without Obi and the Obidient movement, Rhodes-Vivour replied: “By doing the work.”

He argued that his political profile and grassroots network had grown considerably since the 2023 governorship election.

“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2023 is not Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of 2026. We have been doing the work, we have been building structures in communities, we have entrenched ourselves. We are standing for the people,” he said.

The ADC candidate noted that his engagement with residents affected by demolitions across Lagos had strengthened his connection with communities and reinforced his vision for the state.

“We had a fantastic run in 2023. His Excellency Peter Obi, fantastic candidate, there are no issues between us. I just felt that Lagos has a peculiar type of politics that needs a broad-based coalition across generations, across tribes, across people with different experiences and we achieved that,” he added.

Rhodes-Vivour said he chose to remain in the ADC because the party had successfully built a formidable opposition coalition in Lagos, which he believes is necessary to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We came into the coalition because we realised that if we have multiple oppositions it will be difficult to take out this present government and we have succeeded beautifully in Lagos State to build something that I am proud of,” he said.

Expressing confidence ahead of the 2027 governorship election, Rhodes-Vivour said his strategy was based on careful planning rather than emotion.

“I am very sure that you will see that we will put out a very good outing in this election and by God’s grace, we will win,” he said.

He also dismissed claims that his popularity exists only on social media, maintaining that he has built a strong grassroots presence across Lagos communities.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2027 polls in Abia State, Kelechi Anosike, has alleged that Governor Alex Otti’s administration has performed poorly in the area of people’s welfare.

According to the PDP guber candidate, several policies of the governor have not achieved much impact in the lives of ordinary Abia citizens.

Anosike, who addressed a press conference at the PDP State Secretariat in Umuahia on Thursday, claimed that the interests of civil servants, traders and transporters are being neglected by the Abia State government .

He argued that concentration of development in Abia is presently focused on infrastructure to the detriment of cottage industries, pensions issues and other key sectors.

He alleged that civil servants in the state are not being paid according to NLC/Federal Government minimum wage agreement, claiming that 10,000 civil servants were retired by the Abia State government before 35 years of service years or 60 years retirement age.

Anosike said, “10,000 civil servants were unjustly retired, we will review the policy.”

Anosike, who described himself as a welfarist, said that the Abia State government ‘s recent ban on comercial motorcycle operations in Aba lacked human face, and lamented that several persons who depended on Okada business have been sent out of jobs without being presented a better alternative.

He promised that if elected, the Supreme Court judgement on local government funds will be reviewed to ensure that funds due for the Abia local governments are properly utilized.

Anosike also promised to install digital security screens in the cities and forests of Abia State to monitor movements around the state, using security votes, if elected.

The PDP governorship candidate said that the PDP remains the biggest opposition party in the 2027 Abia State gubernatorial race, predicting that his party will defeat the incumbent Labour Party in the election.