Sowore Rejects Ibadan ‘Opposition Summit,’ Says Nigerians Deserve Genuine Alternative, Not ‘Recycled Failure’

 

Sowore Rejects Ibadan ‘Opposition Summit,’ Says Nigerians Deserve Genuine Alternative, Not ‘Recycled Failure’

Sowore, however, rejected the gathering, describing those involved as the same political actors who have long been part of Nigeria’s problems.

Former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has declared that he rejected an invitation to attend the “Opposition Summit” in Ibadan, insisting that Nigerians deserve a credible alternative rather than a gathering of recycled failures.

Sowore made his position known on Sunday, stating unequivocally that he would not associate himself with a political charade aimed at repackaging individuals who had previously mismanaged the country.

Leaders of at least 10 opposition political parties in Nigeria, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Accord Party (AP), and National Democratic Congress (NDC), met in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday.

They accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to impose a one-party state on the country, warning that such a move poses an “existential threat” to Nigeria’s democracy.

The position was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the chairmen of the participating parties at the end of a National Summit held in the Oyo State capital.

In the statement titled the “Ibadan Declaration,” the opposition parties said Nigeria is under the “stranglehold of an oppressive and anti-democratic APC,” insisting that urgent and collective action is needed to “rescue the nation” and its over 200 million citizens.

The opposition parties vowed to resist alleged plots by the APC to foist a one-party system on Nigeria, stressing their commitment to preserving multi-party democracy.

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Sowore, however, rejected the gathering, describing those involved as the same political actors who have long been part of Nigeria’s problems.

“I Declined the Ibadan ‘Opposition Summit’ Nigerians Deserve a Genuine Alternative, Not Recycled Failure,” he wrote.

“I was invited to attend the so-called ‘Opposition Summit’ in Ibadan, but I declined.”

The activist, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019 and 2023, argued that many of the political actors currently championing opposition politics were the same individuals who had contributed to Nigeria’s long-standing governance failures.

“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,” Sowore said.

He added, “Not all Nigerians are suffering from amnesia.”

Sowore further emphasised that his party would not lend credibility to any coalition or alliance that merely seeks to rebrand old political figures without addressing the root causes of Nigeria’s challenges.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our revolutionary party, the African Action Congress (@aacparty), will not be part of any charade designed to recycle failed political actors under the guise of “opposition,’” he stated.

Reiterating his stance, Sowore said the focus of his political movement remains on building a people-driven alternative grounded in accountability and genuine reform.

“Instead, we are committed to presenting a formidable, people-driven alternative, one rooted in integrity, accountability, and genuine transformation,” he said.

He further disclosed plans to mobilise Nigerians nationwide in pursuit of a credible political vision that rejects both the ruling establishment and opposition parties he accused of opportunism.

“We will mobilise Nigerians across the country to rally behind a credible vision that rejects the decadence and deception represented by both the @OfficialAPCNg and their opportunistic counterparts in ADC, PDP, Labour Party and elsewhere,” he added.

Sowore called for a decisive break from Nigeria’s political past, insisting that cosmetic alliances would not address the country’s deep-rooted issues.

“Nigeria does not need a rearrangement of the same broken pieces, it needs a complete break from the past,” he said.