- Omoyele Sowore and Rotimi Amaechi exchanged sharp words at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2026 conference in Port Harcourt
- Sowore challenged Amaechi over his record in government, prompting an angry response from the former minister
- Amaechi fired back at Sowore, questioning his political experience and asking him to stay quiet as he replied the 2027 presidential candidate
A public confrontation between opposition politician Omoyele Sowore and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi played out at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt, with both men trading sharp accusations over governance and political credibility.
The exchange began after Sowore referenced a remark Amaechi had reportedly made earlier at the event, in which the former transportation minister suggested that politicians who had held public office and failed had no business returning to seek power.
Sowore turned the comment back on Amaechi, saying: “I love that Amaechi said that apart from Sowore and Adebayo, the rest of them have been in government and have failed. They have no business coming out. You should be apologising to Nigerians.”
Amaechi defends his record
Amaechi pushed back forcefully, accusing Sowore of misrepresenting his words. “Stop lying. Stop lying, Sowore. I said judge us by our achievements,” he said.
Sowore was undeterred, countering that Amaechi’s railway project had not delivered on its promise. “I’m adding failure. You built a rail line that went nowhere,” he said.
Amaechi rejected the claim outright, pointing to two specific projects completed during his time as minister. “I built the Lagos-Ibadan railway and the Abuja-Kaduna railway, and they were working during my time,” he said.
As Sowore attempted to respond, Amaechi cut him off repeatedly before delivering a pointed rebuke. “I built roads and primary schools in Rivers State. Sowore, what is your experience? When politicians are talking, close your mouth,” Amaechi said.
The confrontation drew attention at the conference, given the stature of both figures. Amaechi served as governor of Rivers State and later as minister of transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari. Sowore, a journalist and activist, ran for president in 2019 and remains a prominent voice in Nigeria’s opposition space.
Source: Legit.ng