‘If you can’t put 60,000 people on the street, you are not serious about opposition – Sowore dismisses Peter Obi’s political relevance

A former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has doubted the political relevance of politician, Peter Obi and the Labour Party, saying they do not represent real political opposition in Nigeria.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources on Sunday, May 12, Sowore described Obi’s political relevance as a temporary phenomenon that failed to challenge the ruling elite.

“In terms of real opposition, I don’t know why anybody refers to Peter Obi as one. He hasn’t fought for the mandate he claimed or mobilised his supporters,” Sowore said criticising the former Anambra governor for failing to speak out against key national issues like fuel price hikes.

 Sowore described the Labour Party as a “short rental” political platform.

“What they call Airbnb in America. You move in, check out when your time expires. When they’re done with Peter Obi, they’ll move it to someone else,” he said.

Sowore further suggested Obi’s popularity during the 2023 elections was rooted in religious sentiment sparked by the APC’s controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket.

He challenged Obi’s supporters, saying

“If you can’t put 60,000 people in the streets, then you’re not serious about opposition.”

In swift response, the Obidient Movement dismissed Sowore’s comments as baseless. The National Coordinator of the movement, Yunusa Tanko, defended Obi’s continued influence, stating that his every move still shapes national discourse.

“If Peter Obi is not a threat, why do they always talk about him? Whether he speaks or breathes, it makes news. That’s relevance,” Tanko said during a phone interview with Channels Television.