Activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has explained his decision to turn down an invitation to an opposition summit held in Ibadan, insisting that Nigerians deserve a genuine alternative rather than a return of familiar political figures.
In a post shared on X on Sunday, Sowore dismissed the summit as lacking credibility, arguing that many of its participants had previously played roles in Nigeria’s political and economic struggles.
“I was invited to attend the so-called ‘Opposition Summit’ in Ibadan, but I declined,” he wrote.
“There is no need to pretend that the same men (and a few women) who held Nigeria to ransom for years, presiding over stagnation, corruption, and systemic decay, can suddenly reinvent themselves as champions of progress or defenders of the people. Not all Nigerians are suffering from amnesia.”
He made it clear that his party would not align with what he described as a misleading political coalition.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our revolutionary party, the African Action Congress, will not be part of any charade designed to recycle failed political actors under the guise of ‘opposition,’” he said.
Sowore added that his focus remains on building what he termed a grassroots-driven political movement anchored on transparency and accountability.
“Instead, we are committed to presenting a formidable, people-driven alternative, one rooted in integrity, accountability, and genuine transformation,” he added.
The AAC candidate also took aim at major political parties across the country, accusing them of embodying the same political culture.
“We will mobilise Nigerians across the country to rally behind a credible vision that rejects the decadence and deception represented by both the All Progressives Congress and their opportunistic counterparts in ADC, Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and elsewhere,” he said.
“Nigeria does not need a rearrangement of the same broken pieces, it needs a complete break from the past.”
The summit, held at the Oyo State Government House in Ibadan, brought together prominent opposition figures from across party lines, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the meeting, and Governor Seyi Makinde, who served as host.
Also present were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, alongside other political stakeholders.
According to the organisers, the summit—tagged “That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy”—was convened to strengthen collaboration among opposition parties in addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic and security challenges, while also laying the groundwork for a unified front ahead of future elections.
