Kenneth Okonkwo, veteran actor, lawyer, and former spokesperson for Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign, has confirmed that the newly formed All Democratic Alliance (ADA) will not zone its presidential ticket, stressing that aspirants from every geopolitical region will be allowed to contest freely. He made the declaration during a live appearance on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, aired June 22, 2025.
Okonkwo, speaking amid ongoing discussions on rotational presidency and zoning controversies, said the ADA will prioritize merit and national consensus over regional entitlement. “Nobody is going to stop anybody from contesting for the presidential ticket in the coalition. Nobody,” he emphasized, underlining the group’s commitment to inclusiveness and democratic integrity.
He criticized the prevailing political culture where trust is often broken. “Even when a candidate promises a single term, they rarely keep that promise. If someone from the South wins and stays for eight years, what happens to national equity? The North will cry foul,” he noted, referencing performance issues under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Okonkwo suggested that allowing open participation would be the only way to avoid political tension and zoning-related resentment. “We’ve seen the damage zoning can do when performance is poor. If you say the South must complete a term, and the person underperforms, what then? Are Nigerians supposed to endure failure just to balance zones?”
He added that ADA’s strategy is to field a candidate broadly accepted by Nigerians, with cross-zonal support and a clear commitment to deliver results, even if on a four-year promise. “Let the best candidate emerge. Once that happens, everyone will rally behind the person—North, South, East, West.”
The All Democratic Alliance is the outcome of a high-level coalition involving influential figures including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and David Mark. The group reportedly reached a consensus last week to adopt ADA as their platform ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
Political watchers believe the ADA could reshape Nigeria’s political landscape with its broad national base, deep war chest, and the potential to unify disillusioned voters across party lines. However, it remains to be seen how zoning sentiments and party loyalty will influence the internal dynamics as aspirants begin to declare interest.
