The South East Coalition for Good Governance (SECG) has strongly condemned the decision of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to nominate former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, describing the move as a direct affront to the political aspirations of the South-East.
In a statement issued on Monday in Enugu and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Ambrose Ekejelam, the group said the ADC had exposed what it described as its deep-rooted disregard for the Igbo people by overlooking the South-East in the selection of its vice-presidential candidate.
According to the coalition, the choice of Amaechi, who hails from the South-South zone, has validated long-standing concerns that the ADC lacks genuine commitment to equity and inclusion, particularly as they affect the South-East. The group argued that the decision effectively shuts the door on meaningful Igbo participation within the party’s power structure.
SECG further stated that the development vindicated the decision of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to distance himself from the ADC-led coalition. The group maintained that Mr Obi must have foreseen the alleged marginalisation that would eventually define the party’s internal calculations.
“The ADC has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that it is not interested in accommodating the aspirations of the Igbo nation. There is no hope or future for the party in Igboland because its actions have consistently shown disdain for the people of the South-East,” the statement said.
The coalition also accused Atiku of sustaining a pattern of excluding the South-East from strategic political considerations. It recalled that during the 2023 presidential election, the former vice-president selected then Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, from the South-South as his running mate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
SECG argued that the latest decision marks the second consecutive presidential contest in which Atiku has bypassed the South-East in favour of candidates from the South-South, a development it said raises serious questions about his commitment to Igbo inclusion and national balance.
The group urged voters across the South-East to reject the ADC at the polls, insisting that the party had failed to align itself with the expectations, interests and political aspirations of the zone. It warned that political parties seeking support from the South-East must demonstrate fairness through their actions rather than rhetoric.
Predicting a difficult electoral outing for the ADC in the region, the coalition declared that the party would struggle to win any election in the South-East. It added that the choice of Amaechi had further alienated millions of Igbo voters who expected a more inclusive approach from a party seeking to challenge for power at the national level.
