The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, says he rejected an invitation to the National Opposition Summit held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The gathering, which took place on Saturday, saw leaders from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) convene to discuss a unified front for the 2027 general election. Sowore, however, dismissed the event as a calculated attempt by entrenched political figures to rebrand themselves without addressing their past roles in the nation’s struggles.
In a scathing reaction posted to his X handle on Sunday, Sowore characterized the summit as a “political charade.” He argued that the individuals involved—many of whom have held high-ranking offices during periods of systemic decay—cannot suddenly reinvent themselves as agents of progress. “There is no need to pretend that the same men who held Nigeria to ransom for years, presiding over stagnation and corruption, can suddenly become champions of progress,” Sowore stated, insisting that Nigerians deserve a genuine alternative rather than “recycled failure.”
The summit in Ibadan was aimed at consolidating opposition strength, with high-profile figures like former Senate President David Mark and Kabiru Turaki leading the charge toward presenting a single presidential candidate.
Despite these efforts to build a coalition, Sowore maintained that the AAC would not participate in any arrangement involving what he termed “opportunistic” parties. He emphasized that the country’s political challenges require a decisive break from existing power structures rather than a mere rearrangement of familiar faces.
Looking ahead, Sowore reaffirmed the AAC’s commitment to building a grassroots, people-driven movement rooted in integrity and accountability. He stated that his party would focus on mobilizing Nigerians across the country to support a credible vision that rejects both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the traditional opposition blocs.
By distancing himself from the Ibadan summit, Sowore has signaled that the AAC intends to run a distinct campaign focused on “genuine transformation” rather than joining the emerging coalition.
