The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has rejected plans by Professor Pat Utomi to bring opposition presidential candidates together in an effort to produce a single candidate for the 2027 general election.
Sowore disclosed the position of the AAC in a statement shared on his verified X account on Wednesday, saying neither he nor the party was involved in the coalition discussions.
Utomi, a professor of political economy, had recently set up a political commission aimed at bringing opposition parties and their presidential candidates together. The group planned to hold private meetings with selected candidates and party leaders as part of efforts to build a united opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sowore, however, said the AAC would not participate in the proposed arrangement. He said the party was pursuing a different political direction and would not abandon its programme for an agreement based mainly on political calculations.
According to him, the AAC considers its political programme to be based on social and economic justice, equal rights, accountable government and greater political and economic power for Nigerians.
He argued that joining a coalition with political groups that have been part of the country’s established political system would conflict with the position the AAC has maintained over the years.
Sowore also criticised politicians who are now presenting themselves as an alternative to the ruling establishment, saying some of them have previously operated within major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party.
He maintained that the AAC would not support an arrangement aimed at simply replacing one group of established politicians with another.
The AAC candidate said the party’s approach to the 2027 election would remain centred on its own political programme rather than political alliances formed for the purpose of gaining access to power.
The rejection comes as opposition politicians and groups continue to explore possible ways of working together ahead of the 2027 general election. The proposed coalition led by Utomi is seeking to bring different opposition interests under one platform and possibly agree on a single presidential candidate.
However, Sowore’s position shows that the proposed talks may not involve all opposition presidential candidates, as the AAC has chosen to maintain its separate political identity.
Utomi’s initiative is part of wider efforts among opposition figures to develop a common political platform ahead of the next general election. The discussions are expected to involve several candidates and party leaders, although the final structure and membership of any proposed coalition remain subject to further talks.
For now, Sowore has made it clear that the AAC will continue with its own political direction and will not take part in the single-candidate coalition discussions being organised by Utomi.