AAC asks Tinubu for approval, logistics for 5,000 participants as Sowore fires back at APC National Secretary over ‘skit maker’ remark
Golden Page News Abuja, Nigeria — 23 October 2026
The African Action Congress (AAC) has formally approached President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking approval to inaugurate its Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, as political activity intensifies ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The request, contained in a letter dated 21 October 2026 and signed by the party’s National Secretary, Oshiokhue Philip Ikpeminoghena, proposes 11 November 2026 for the inauguration.
The party is also requesting logistical support for approximately 5,000 participants, including food, drinks and other arrangements for attendees expected from within Nigeria and abroad.
The unusual request has immediately introduced another political dimension to the emerging 2027 campaign landscape: whether a major opposition party should be granted access to the country’s seat of presidential power for a campaign-related event and whether public resources or facilities should be made available to opposition parties on the same basis as the governing party.
AAC Appeals for Equal Treatment
In its letter, the AAC argued that its request was consistent with the principles of multiparty democracy, political inclusion and equal treatment of political parties.
The party said granting its request would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness and equal access, arguing that public institutions should serve Nigerians without partisan discrimination.
The AAC also referred to arrangements it said had reportedly been extended to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a similar political engagement.
The party asked the Presidency to provide information on the procedures and conditions that would apply should the request be approved.
The request now places the decision with the Presidency and could generate debate over the appropriate use of government venues and logistical resources during an electoral period.
For the AAC, however, the request appears to be about more than securing a venue. It presents an opportunity to test its argument that political institutions and public facilities should be accessible to parties across the political spectrum under fair and clearly defined rules.
A Test of Political Neutrality?
The request comes at a time when Nigeria’s political parties are beginning to position themselves for the 2027 elections.
The central question is whether access to state facilities should be determined by political affiliation or by neutral administrative rules applicable to all registered political parties.
If the Presidency approves the request, the decision could be presented by the AAC as evidence of political openness and inclusiveness.
If it is rejected, the reasons given by the authorities could become equally important, particularly if the party believes it has been treated differently from the governing APC.
There is also a separate question concerning the AAC’s request for food, drinks and other logistical assistance for thousands of participants.
Any such support would raise questions about the applicable rules governing the use of public resources for partisan political events.
The distinction between access to a government venue and government financing of a political campaign event is therefore likely to become an important part of the discussion.
Sowore and Basiru Clash Over Political Record
The Aso Rock request comes alongside a public confrontation between AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and Ajibola Basiru, the National Secretary of the APC.
The dispute began after Basiru described Sowore as a “skit maker” and “comedian” during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television.
Sowore responded by recalling his long-standing relationship with Basiru, arguing that the two men had once stood on the same side of Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle during the military era.
Sowore published a photograph of himself and Basiru from 1998, when he was associated with the Congress of Progressive Youths (COPY), a pro-democracy organisation.
According to Sowore’s account, he and other activists, including Kunle Adegoke, popularly known as K-Rad, helped Basiru after his expulsion from the University of Ilorin and assisted him in securing an opportunity to continue his education at the University of Lagos.
Sowore said both men later graduated and pursued different political paths.
From Pro-Democracy Activism to Electoral Politics
The exchange has therefore become more than a disagreement between two politicians.
It has highlighted the dramatically different political trajectories of two Nigerians who, according to Sowore’s account, were once involved in the struggle against military rule.
Sowore remains one of Nigeria’s prominent activist-politicians and has repeatedly positioned himself as an opponent of established political structures.
Basiru, meanwhile, has become a senior figure within the ruling APC and currently serves as the party’s National Secretary.
Sowore argued that the principles they once fought for — justice, democracy, freedom and human dignity — should not now be dismissed as entertainment.
He also rejected Basiru’s criticism of opposition candidates over their performance in the 2023 presidential election, arguing that electoral defeat does not invalidate political opposition or activism.
Sowore: Political Power Is Temporary
In his response, Sowore argued that political appointments and positions are temporary.
He maintained that the current administration, like governments before it, would eventually leave office.
His broader argument was that political power should not cause former advocates of democratic reform to abandon the principles they previously defended.
Sowore accused Basiru of becoming a defender of the political establishment he once challenged.
Basiru’s remarks, however, represent a broader political argument from the governing party: that opposition figures who have repeatedly failed to secure electoral victories should face scrutiny over their political strategy and effectiveness.
The exchange therefore reflects one of the central tensions likely to shape the 2027 campaign — the contest between established political power and candidates presenting themselves as alternatives to the political establishment.
Two Different Battles Ahead of 2027
The two developments involving the AAC illustrate the increasingly multifaceted nature of the approaching election.
On one side is a formal request to the Presidency for access to one of the most politically significant government locations in Nigeria.
On the other is a public argument over the meaning of political activism, democratic struggle and electoral success.
Together, they place Sowore and the AAC firmly within the growing national conversation about what the 2027 election should represent.
For the AAC, the Aso Rock request provides an opportunity to press its case for equal political treatment.
For the APC, the confrontation with Sowore reflects the increasingly competitive nature of the opposition landscape.
And for Nigerian voters, the larger question is whether the next election will be dominated by personalities and political exchanges — or by substantive debates over the country’s economy, security, governance, jobs, education and democratic institutions.
As parties prepare their campaign structures, the coming months are likely to produce more confrontations of this nature.
The 2027 election is still ahead, but the political contest is already beginning to take shape.
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