Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has named Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo as his spokesperson for the 2027 presidential election race.
The appointment was confirmed in a letter shared by Okonkwo on his X account on Thursday. In the letter, Atiku said the role was given based on Okonkwo’s “competence, public communication skills, integrity, political judgment, and ability to represent” him professionally.
“I am pleased to offer you this appointment as my Spokesperson for the 2027 General Elections in Nigeria,” the letter read.
Okonkwo, who served as spokesperson for Labour Party candidate Peter Obi in 2023, thanked Atiku for the trust. He described the appointment as a sign of Atiku’s democratic values.
“This appointment speaks volumes about His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s democratic credentials,” Okonkwo wrote in response. “Rather than take offense at associates who raise genuine concerns, he chooses dialogue and compromise to find solutions.”
The move comes as political realignments ahead of 2027 begin to take shape. Atiku, who emerged as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, is rebuilding his campaign team after the 2023 polls.
Okonkwo’s exit from Obi’s camp was followed by public disagreements and a defamation lawsuit filed by the former Anambra governor. He has since aligned with Atiku’s ADC coalition.
Atiku will be making his seventh bid for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
