WE SOUGHT ASO ROCK VENUE BECAUSE APC USES IT TOO, BELONGS TO NIGERIANS, NOT APC — SOWORE

The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has explained that his party applied to use the Aso Rock Presidential Villa for the inauguration of its campaign council because the ruling All Progressives Congress uses the same facility for political events.

The clarification came during an event organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria on Thursday .

THE EXPLANATION

Sowore was direct about the rationale behind the request.

“We asked to use Aso Rock because the APC uses Aso Rock to do political party events. So we are saying, as a matter of right, since Aso Rock is our own, other political parties must be granted the opportunity to use Aso Rock the way APC uses Aso Rock,” he said.

He argued that the Presidential Villa belongs to all Nigerians, not to the ruling party.

THE REQUEST

The AAC had written to President Tinubu requesting approval to use the Presidential Villa for its campaign council inauguration scheduled for November 11, 2026.

The letter, dated October 21 and signed by National Secretary Oshiokhai Ikpeminioghena, also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for participants.

The party argued that granting the request would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness and ensure that public institutions served Nigerians without partisan discrimination.

THE BASIRU CLASH

The request drew criticism from APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, who described Sowore as a “comedian and skit maker” and questioned his party’s electoral strength.

Sowore responded by recounting their shared history as student activists, alleging that he helped Basiru gain admission to UNILAG after an expulsion from UNILORIN.

THE COALITION DISMISSAL

Sowore also used the occasion to dismiss the proposed opposition coalition, known as the Rainbow Coalition, which has been promoted by figures including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

“I don’t want to be part of your coalition because your rainbow coalition is going to die after 2027,” he said.

He added that Nigerians were facing difficult conditions.”They have brought sorrow, and honestly, things are hard for the people of this country,” he said.

WHY IT MATTERS

Sowore’s request may have been dismissed by the APC as unserious, but it raises a legitimate question: if the ruling party can use the Presidential Villa for political events, why can’t the opposition?

The answer, in practice, is that Aso Rock is the seat of power, and the party that controls it controls access.

Sowore’s argument that it belongs to all Nigerians is constitutionally sound but politically unrealistic.

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What is clear is that the AAC’s request has forced a conversation about the use of public facilities for partisan purposes—and about the unequal playing field that opposition parties face in Nigeria.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Presidency has not responded to the AAC’s request.