Sowore says he asked Amaechi to apologise after NBA conference clash

African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has said he asked former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to apologise following their heated argument at the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt.

Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Tuesday, Sowore said he contacted Amaechi after the confrontation and demanded an apology. According to him, Amaechi instead invited him to his house to eat and drink beer, an offer Sowore jokingly declined.

Sowore argued that his long-standing activism for democracy and good governance should be regarded as political leadership experience, even though he has never held public office.

He claimed that politicians such as Amaechi benefited from the democratic system he helped fight to establish, saying Amaechi could not have served as Rivers State governor, Speaker of the House of Assembly or Transportation Minister if Nigeria had remained under military rule.

The disagreement began during the NBA conference when Sowore criticised the records of politicians who had held public office. He specifically questioned Amaechi’s achievements as governor and transportation minister, including railway projects.

Amaechi defended his record, pointing to roads and schools constructed during his tenure as governor and railway projects delivered while he was Transportation Minister.

The exchange became heated when Amaechi told Sowore, “When politicians are talking, close your mouth.”

Sowore also defended his opposition to the removal of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy. He said he had warned against the policy before it was implemented, arguing that the resulting economic hardship vindicated his position.

He further criticised Amaechi by saying the former governor was not an “Excellency” because, in his view, he had not done anything excellent for Nigeria.

The clash occurred during a political session that also featured discussions involving Peter Obi and Adewole Adebayo on Nigeria’s leadership, insecurity, fuel subsidy and the country’s political future ahead of the 2027 elections.

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