Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has claimed that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, would not have become governor or minister without his contributions to Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle.
Sowore made the claim on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, while speaking about his recent confrontation with Amaechi at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The exchange between the two politicians occurred during the conference when Amaechi, who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, reportedly told Sowore to “close his mouth” while politicians were speaking.
Reacting to the incident, Sowore maintained that his activism and involvement in the struggle for democracy helped create the political environment that allowed individuals such as Amaechi to occupy public office.
He said: “If I did not fight for democracy, Rotimi Amaechi would never have been governor or minister. He benefited from my extraordinary struggle for democracy. After the NBA event, I asked him to apologise to me.”
Sowore said his involvement in politics was motivated by his longstanding commitment to democracy, good governance and national development rather than personal ambition.
The AAC candidate noted that Nigerians who participate in public affairs are often driven by different experiences, beliefs and aspirations.
According to him, his own political journey has always been shaped by his desire to promote democratic values and improve governance in the country.
He said, **“Everybody in this country came to do something. I’m talking about Nigerians that they believe in, and your experience is derived from what you believe in.
“What’s your passion? What’s your goal in life? Mine was to bring about good governance and to establish democracy.”**
The latest comments come amid renewed attention to the public disagreement between Sowore and Amaechi following their encounter at the NBA conference.
