“Atiku Will Return To Dubai” – Sowore On Not Joining Opposition Leaders’ Protest

Activist politician Omoyele Sowore has defended his decision to stay away from the Occupy INEC demonstration staged by chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja. He insists his own activism rests on firm principles, not temporary political convenience.

The protest on Wednesday drew heavyweights including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola. They marched to the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters to challenge INEC’s decision to delist their faction following a Court of Appeal ruling on the party’s leadership crisis.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the demonstrators carried placards accusing INEC of bias and demanding the resignation of its chairman. They described the delisting as an attempt to weaken opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja shortly after the protest ended, Sowore made it clear he backs any genuine push against electoral irregularities. “This is what we have been doing and saying that you can’t get the results we want without protest,” he declared.

Yet the founder of the African Action Congress and convener of the Revolution Now movement drew a sharp line between his brand of opposition and that of the ADC leaders. He accused some of them of creating the very problems Nigeria now faces during their time in power.

Sowore recalled conversations inside prison where aggrieved party members complained that Aregbesola, as former Minister of Interior, failed to promote them for nine years. “These are the people protesting now,” he noted with irony.

Despite his reservations, Sowore said he publicly supported the action. He shared protest fliers on his Facebook page and even dispatched supporters to join the demonstration.

His main quarrel, however, centres on motive. “I’m not in opposition for opposition sake. I’m opposed to everything that is wrong in Nigeria, including what the opposition people were doing when they were not in opposition,” he stated.

Sowore described the ADC leaders’ approach as “opposition for election.” He predicted that once polls end, figures like Atiku Abubakar would simply return to Dubai, where he resides permanently. “You won’t see them again,” he added.

The remarks come as opposition forces intensify efforts to build a formidable coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress. Sowore, a two-time presidential candidate known for his consistent criticism of governance failures across party lines, has long argued that true change demands more than seasonal protests.

Political observers say his stance underscores a growing divide within Nigeria’s opposition ranks between long-standing activists and established politicians seeking fresh platforms for 2027.