”Before Peter Obi was discovered, I was already running for President, he just knows how to package” – Sowore

Former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore recently shared why he won’t join forces with Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate. Sowore argued that Obi is no different from other corrupt politicians, suggesting he’s simply better at “packaging” his image. Highlighting his own long-standing political journey, Sowore noted that he had been contesting for the presidency well before Obi rose to national prominence. His comments have added to the ongoing discourse around political alliances and integrity in Nigeria’s leadership landscape.

Featuring in a recent episode of the Honest Bunch Podcast, he said, “Before you discovered Peter Obi, I was already running for President. All these shouts about Peter Obi… He just knows how to package. Anyone can do it.

“If I join [form a coalition with] Peter Obi, I will be going against what I have always stood for. Which is that, I will never support a Nigerian leader who has held any political office before whom I consider non-performing.

“It’s the same reason I would never have joined hands with Atiku. And the Peter Obi you are talking about was Vice Presidential candidate to Atiku when I was presidential candidate in 2019.

“So, what are we talking about? There is no lesser evil in my book. If you are evil, you are evil. If you are good, you are good. I have a general disdain for non-performance.”