Barely 24 hours after the former Transportation Minister, Barrister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was officially named the Vice-Presidential candidate of the coalition opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), two publicists, Mr Chude Jideonwo and Mr Ozioma Ubabukoh, are being recommended to manage the Atiku/Amaechi presidential campaign.

The Guardian gathered that while Jideonwo, a long-term ally of the former Rivers State governor, played similar roles when he (Amaechi) served as the Director General of the Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation, some highly placed stakeholders are pushing Ubabukoh to bring in the core strategy and lobbying vibe element to the AA Presidential campaign.

Jideonwo, alongside Debola Williams, superintended the Red Media, which was in charge of the new media content messaging and development during the All Progressives Congress (APC) debut on the presidential ballot in 2015, but both men parted ways shortly after to pursue individual interests, leaving Red Media in the hands of a managing director they employed.

Ubabukoh, who runs Plexus, served as spokesperson to former Education Minister, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, as well as her media consultant during her presidential contest in the 2023 poll.

Those propping Ubabukoh contend that apart from being well spoken, his touch with the Gen Z content creators and media practitioners through the various social media platforms would be a huge asset to the AA Presidential Campaign.

Sources within the ADC presidential circles confided in The Guardian that the VP nominee convinced his principal, Atiku, that something refreshing has to be done in the area of media management of the ADC ticket, stressing that the credibility of the ticket may be hampered if left in the hands of tricky operatives.

“Based on the valid points raised by our VP nominee, Atiku’s former spokesman became incensed and was livid with rage. The decision to do away with the former Nollywood legend was yet to be resolved before news filtered in the he has quit,” the source explained.

He disclosed that the ADC knows that a lot would be thrown at it, noting that with Amaechi coming on board as part of the Engine room of the Presidential campaign, a lot of remarkable changes are being worked out.

Checks by TheGuardian showed that shortly after the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, announced the former Transportation Minister, Amaechi, as the party’s deputy presidential runner, Atiku’s former spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, protested the marginalization of the South East in the scheme of things in the party.

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Okonkwo, who is facing multiple court cases for defamation, stated: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice-presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.

“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the National Chairman and the President, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the Vice President in 2027.”