Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has dismissed ongoing opposition coalition talks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sowore warned that the movement lacks clear ideological direction and could inadvertently secure President Bola Tinubu a second term in office.
The New Daily Prime reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other notable politicians are championing the coalition.
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Sowore argued that the current political manoeuvring is superficial and disconnected from the real struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
“What they’re building is not a genuine coalition of the marginalised; it’s a distraction,” he said.
“Rather than challenge the system, they’re enabling its survival. The masses are being misled into thinking these individuals are working in their interest.”
He criticised the coalition’s structure, claiming it is disorganised and ideologically barren.
The Ondo-born questioned their inability to unify under a credible platform or sustain consistent engagement.
“They now claim they want to register a party — that alone reflects their isolation. Any alliance without a moral or ideological foundation is destined to fail,” he remarked.
His comments follow rising efforts by key political figures to realign ahead of 2027.
Despite Atiku’s meeting with Labour Party’s Peter Obi and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who recently dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), signs of unity remain elusive.
The PDP Governors’ Forum has distanced itself from the initiative, citing potential risks to the party’s internal cohesion.
Obi, meanwhile, has maintained that he will not participate in any alliance that seeks power without addressing Nigeria’s underlying governance challenges.
El-Rufai’s shift to the SDP stirred further speculation, but the party leadership has since clarified that no formal alliance has been established with either El-Rufai or Atiku.
Offering an alternative path, Sowore urged Nigerians to reject elite-driven politics and focus on grassroots mobilisation for systemic change.
“The real solution lies with the people crafting their own future,” he said. “As long as citizens allow political elites to dictate the narrative, they will remain trapped in cycles of hardship. That’s been Nigeria’s reality since the return to civil rule.”
Sowore went further, questioning the democratic credentials of the current system.
“We don’t practice democracy here — it’s merely a civilian façade. What we need now is genuine democratic transformation,” he said.
He also drew a line between what he called principled activism and self-serving political opportunism, taking a swipe at some figures associated with the coalition.
READ ALSO: Sowore rejects coalition with Atiku, Obi, SDP ahead of 2027 election
“I lead a movement representing the truly oppressed — not one led by the politically hungry, like Amaechi and his allies,” he declared.
Asked whether Nigerians should pin their hopes on the current government amid worsening economic conditions, Sowore dismissed the idea, stating that the country’s citizens are enduring unnecessary suffering.
“I’ve said it before — the more hope you invest in this administration, the more disappointment you’ll face. If we keep following this path, nothing meaningful will change,” he warned.
“There’s no future under these policies. What lies ahead is simply a continuation of past failures.”
