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The presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore and vice presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, clashed yesterday during a political session at the ongoing 66th annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The conference, themed ‘Beyond Limits,’ brought together legal practitioners and political figures from across Nigeria.
The altercation occurred during a presidential aspirants’ session at the conference as Amaechi was speaking about his achievements.
There were discussions on the records of Nigerian politicians, who have previously held public office, as well as the impact of the government’s policies on Nigerians, particularly the fuel subsidy removal and transportation
Sowore reportedly attempted to interrupt Amaechi while he was making his remarks, prompting the former governor to respond. He said: “I like what Amaechi said. He said that apart from Sowore and Adebayo, the rest of them have governed before and have failed. You guys should be apologising to the Nigerian people.”
However, Amaechi told Sowore to remain silent when politicians with governance experience are talking, and even urging lawyers from Rivers State to take him around the state.
“Please, I need Rivers’ lawyers to take Sowore around. When politicians are talking, Sowore should close his mouth,” Amaechi said.
Responding to the arguments at the session, Amaechi, who represented the former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said Nigerians should not be deceived by politicians who had previously governed and failed to deliver.
He also argued that transportation policy should form part of the conversation around fuel subsidy, citing the railway project built by a former Rivers State governor.
“We have a former Governor of Rivers State who built a rail line that led to nowhere. If that rail line was well working, subsidy would have been working for Rivers State,” he said.
He also said the former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, failed to adequately subsidise education during his tenure.
“Peter Obi, for example, did not subsidise education in his state.
Lecturers and doctors went on strike for 13 months. You can like him as a person, but he did not perform as a governor,” Amaechi said.
He also defended his record as Minister of Transportation, saying the Lagos-Ajaokuta railway was operational during his tenure.
“In my time, Lagos-Ajaokuta railway was working. I do not know why it is not working under Tinubu. The same thing for Abuja-Kaduna rail,” he said.
