Why I Declined To Attend Opposition Summit In Ibadan – Sowore
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has explained why he declined participation in the recent opposition summit held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, Sowore alleged that the initiative was an attempt to recycle failed political actors, arguing that those behind the summit lacked the credibility to present a genuine alternative to Nigerians.
“I was invited to attend the so-called ‘Opposition Summit’ in Ibadan, but I declined.
“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 wrote.
Sowore further stated that his party, the African Action Congress (AAC), would not participate in what he described as a “charade” aimed at repackaging old political figures.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our revolutionary party, the African Action Congress (AAC), will not be part of any charade designed to recycle failed political actors under the guise of ‘opposition’.
“Instead, we are committed to presenting a formidable, people-driven alternative, one rooted in integrity, accountability, and genuine transformation,” he wrote.
He also criticised major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing them as part of Nigeria’s political problem.
“Nigeria does not need a rearrangement of the same broken pieces; it needs a complete break from the past,” he said.
Sowore’s comments come as opposition leaders across party lines met in Ibadan and agreed to form a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the National Summit of Opposition Political Leaders, themed “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National Dialogue,” participants resolved to field a single presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the APC.
