Sowore Claims Tinubu May Be Keeping Governors Out of APC to Maintain ‘Opposition Illusion’

Activist and politician, Omoleye Sowore, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have deliberately prevented some prominent governors from joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The claim was made during Sowore’s appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast.

According to Sowore, governors such as Abia State’s Alex Otti, Anambra State’s Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Bauchi State’s Bala Mohammed, and Oyo State’s Seyi Makinde were strategically kept out of APC. He described Alex Otti, who is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s best-performing governors, as a strong political ally of President Tinubu, noting that the Abia governor is closer to the President than some serving governors within his party.

Sowore stated, “Governor Alex Otti and other governors who are yet to defect to the President’s party have secretly entered into an agreement with President Tinubu. It might even be that he asked them not to join yet, so that it will appear as if opposition still exists in the country. Only four governors are left that have not joined APC, but in principle, they are already with him.”

He further asserted that President Tinubu is Alex Otti’s chosen candidate for the next election, explaining that “how you understand Tinubu’s moves is that, as he operates mainly from Lagos, most of the governors are already aligned with him, whether they are in APC or not.”

On the podcast, Sowore also reiterated his call for a political revolution in Nigeria, stressing the urgent need to reform the country’s institutions. He criticized the current electoral system, particularly the influence of the judiciary, saying, “You cannot have 20 million people vote in an election and wait for seven judges to determine who won. That is wrong. And it will repeat itself unless we adopt a different method. Since the Supreme Court ruling, Tinubu has appointed 11 Supreme Court justices, and only seven are needed to endorse any outcome.”

Sowore’s remarks come amid growing debates about opposition cohesion and the role of political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.