Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has rejected moves by the Movement for Credible Elections to unite opposition presidential candidates behind a single candidate for the 2027 election.
Sowore, in a statement on Thursday, said neither he nor the AAC was participating in the coalition discussions being coordinated by a political commission led by Professor Pat Utomi.
He said the party would not join the proposed negotiations, arguing that the AAC’s political programme was fundamentally different from those of established political parties.
“For the avoidance of doubt, neither I nor the African Action Congress (AAC) is part of these talks, and we will not be joining any such coalition,” Sowore said.
He said the AAC’s position was based on its political ideology rather than negotiations aimed at securing access to power.
Sowore also criticised politicians from the APC, PDP, Labour Party and other established political formations who are now presenting themselves as an alternative ahead of the 2027 election.
He said the AAC’s opposition was not limited to President Bola Tinubu or the APC but extended to what he described as the broader political system and governance practices responsible for Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
The activist said his party would instead pursue a political programme centred on social and economic justice, equal rights, accountable government and redistribution of political and economic power.
Meanwhile, the Utomi-led MCE Political Commission has commenced consultations with opposition presidential candidates and party leaders as part of efforts to produce a single opposition candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The commission is expected to hold closed-door meetings with shortlisted candidates before a tactical session scheduled to take place in Ibadan.
Among those listed for consultation are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Adewole Adebayo, Seyi Makinde, Donald Duke, Sandy Onor, Peter Agada and Sowore.
The MCE said the proposed process would be guided by principles including credibility, transparency, fairness, due process and a level playing field, with the aim of reaching an agreement on a consensus candidate and a common governance programme.