Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has claimed that Nigeria does not have a real opposition, insisting that the country’s major political parties are essentially the same.
Sowore made the statement during a recent interaction with journalists outside the Federal High Court, Abuja where he spoke on Nigeria’s political landscape, security challenges, and governance issues. According to him, political parties often described as opposition groups are not truly different from the ruling party.“There is no opposition. All parties are the same,” he said.Sowore argued that many politicians move between parties without changing their political behaviour or policies. He said this shows that the political system is controlled by the same group of leaders regardless of party affiliation including Peter Obi. The activist specifically mentioned the country’s major parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
According to him, the parties operate in similar ways and do not offer Nigerians a real alternative. Sowore said many politicians who present themselves as opposition figures have previously held positions in government or have been involved in the same political system they claim to oppose. He insisted that what Nigerians call opposition parties are often only different in name, while their actions remain the same.
“The same people move from one party to another. They claim to oppose each other, but they share the same interests,” he said.
Sowore further argued that the real opposition in Nigeria consists of ordinary citizens and activists like him who challenge the political system without holding government positions or controlling large resources. According to him, individuals and groups pushing for reforms without political influence are the ones truly standing against the system. He also criticised the way Nigerian politics is structured, saying many political alliances are built around personal interests rather than public service. Sowore maintained that the country’s political environment would only improve when citizens begin to demand accountability from leaders across all parties.
The activist has been a long-time critic of Nigeria’s political establishment and has frequently called for systemic reforms aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and improving governance.
