The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, have engaged in a war of words following the activist’s request to hold his party’s campaign council inauguration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The disagreement began after Basiru described Sowore as a “skit maker” and “comedian” during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, questioning his chances of making an impact in the 2027 presidential election.

The AAC had, in a letter dated October 21, 2026, sought approval to inaugurate its Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa on November 11. The letter, signed by the party’s National Secretary, Oshiokhai Ikpeminioghena, also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for participants.

Reacting to the request, Basiru argued that Sowore needed to demonstrate his electoral strength at the grassroots level before expecting to be taken seriously as a presidential contender.

He also claimed that rejected ballot papers received more votes than the AAC in the 2023 general election, using the comparison to question the party’s political influence.

In response, Sowore took to his X account on Wednesday night, recalling their shared history as student activists who opposed military dictatorship in the 1990s.

Accompanying his statement with a photograph he said was taken with Basiru in 1998, Sowore recalled his leadership of the Congress of Progressive Youths (COPY) and their involvement in the pro-democracy struggle.

He said the struggle for justice, freedom, democracy and human dignity should not be reduced to comedy, accusing Basiru of abandoning the principles they once defended.

Sowore also challenged Basiru’s argument about the 2023 presidential election, questioning why opposition candidates should be ashamed of their defeat following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner.

The AAC candidate further claimed that he had helped Basiru and Kunle Adegoke, popularly known as K-Rad, who is now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, secure an enabling environment to pursue legal studies at the University of Lagos.

According to Sowore, the two men had faced challenges connected to their student activism before eventually studying law at the institution.

He accused Basiru of allowing the privileges associated with his current political position to overshadow the democratic principles they previously upheld.

Sowore also maintained that political appointments were temporary, expressing confidence that his commitment to human rights and democratic values would endure beyond the current administration.

However, Basiru subsequently rejected Sowore’s account of their admission history, insisting that he gained admission to study law at the University of Lagos on merit.

In his response, the APC national secretary also dismissed Sowore’s presidential ambition, maintaining that he did not consider the activist a serious contender.

The exchange has brought renewed attention to the relationship between the two men, whose political paths have diverged since their reported involvement in pro-democracy activism decades ago.

SOURCE: PUNCH NEWS; THECABLE; CHANNELS TELEVISION.