- Safiu Kehinde
The 2027 African Democratic Congress Vice Presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has taken a jab at the African Action Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election, Omoyele Sowore, as he slammed the human rights activist at the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Conference in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
Representing the ADC’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Amaechi had joined Sowore and other presidential candidates, including Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress for a panel discussion at the NBA’s annual conference held on Monday.
Speaking during a heated session the former Rivers governor and Minister of Transportation bragged about his achievements during his tenure as the minister.
He cited the Lagos-Ibadan and the Abuja-Kaduna Train Services as part of his accomplishments.
‘Who are those from Lagos? There is Lagos-Ibadan Railway.
‘Is it working or not? In my time, it was working. I don’t know what is happening under Tinubu. There is Abuja-Kaduna Rail, working or not?’ He asked.
Amaechi would be interrupted by Sowore, prompting to the ex-Rivers governor to turn back at him.
He silenced the activist as he further bragged about his achievements during his time as Rivers governor.
‘Where are Rivers lawyers. Please take Sowore around.
‘Sowore I said built that road. I built this primary school. I built this primary school.’ He said.
Amaechi ended his address by challenging Sowore to present his governance experience as he charged him to keep quiet when politicians are talking.
‘Sowore what is your experience. When politicians are talking, close your mouth.’ He added.
This had sparked reactions from the audience who jeered as Sowore was left with bewildered look.
Meanwhile, Amaechi’s remark had reportedly stemmed out of Sowore’s statement about the opposition.
The AAC Presidential candidate had in his address talked down on other opposition parties, particularly those with intention to retain the subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
‘I disagree with you that we need an opposition to defeat the incumbent only if the opposition is opposed to the incumbent. There must be ideological differences.
‘We must be different from the people who are there. If you support the removal of fuel subsidy, you are not different from the government in power.
‘If you support a live a corrupt lifestyle, you are not different from the government in power.’ He said.
Sowore further maintained that only Nigerians can defeat the incumbent and not the oppositions many of who he considered friends to the ruling party.
‘It is the Nigerian people that will defeat the incumbent, not their friends who do not want to change the old order. The question you also asked is will I step down for someone if they have better chances.
‘The question is what they have chances to do. Is it the chances to continue more of the same or to change the trajectory of Nigeria.’ He said,
The AAC presidential candidate harped on the need to completely overhaul the reform introduced by the current administration and introduce different ones.
He expressed readiness to support any candidate with same intent to change what he considered the old order.
‘I’m not here as a presidential candidate to manage decline. I’m here to change the country for good. If anybody is willing to change the country, I will work with the person.
‘But I will not work with anybody who simply want to replace the old order with an older order.’ Sowore said.