Sowore and Amaechi Clash Over Fuel Subsidy and Political Records at NBA Conference in Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt — A political session at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) turned tense on Monday as African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi exchanged sharp words over fuel subsidy policy and the governance records of Nigeria’s political establishment.
The exchange took place during a presidential aspirants’ panel at the conference, held under the theme “Politics, People, and Nigeria’s Future: Forget the Slogans,” which brought together legal practitioners and prominent political figures to discuss democracy, governance, and the country’s direction ahead of the 2027 general election. Amaechi attended the session representing African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, in his capacity as the party’s vice presidential candidate.
Tensions rose after Sowore used his remarks to criticize members of Nigeria’s political elite, including Amaechi, arguing that politicians who had previously held office bore responsibility for the country’s economic difficulties. He urged the audience not to be misled by repeated promises from figures with prior governance experience, insisting that such leaders had already had their opportunity and failed to deliver meaningful change. Sowore also referenced past comments attributed to Amaechi, suggesting the former governor had himself acknowledged that most politicians seeking power again had previously governed and come up short.
As Amaechi attempted to detail his record as a two-term governor of Rivers State, Sowore reportedly interjected, prompting a visibly irritated response from the former governor. Amaechi invited lawyers from Rivers State to verify his achievements in office and then turned directly to Sowore, telling him to remain silent while politicians with governing experience were speaking.
The session also touched on broader disagreements around fuel subsidy removal and transportation policy. Sowore reiterated his long-standing opposition to subsidy removal, arguing that ordinary Nigerians were the primary beneficiaries of fuel subsidies and criticizing the absence of similar relief on products such as kerosene and jet fuel. Amaechi, for his part, defended a differing position, arguing that subsidies should be targeted at the poor rather than extended broadly, and briefly criticized the record of fellow presidential contender Peter Obi’s tenure as Anambra State governor, alleging that essential services such as education were not adequately funded during that period.
Obi, who also featured on the panel, used his turn to respond to the criticism and to offer his own perspective on the country’s leadership requirements, while other candidates present, including Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, also weighed in on the debate surrounding governance and Nigeria’s economic direction.
The heated back-and-forth added to what was already a lively second day of the conference, which also featured a defence of the federal government’s proposed state police reforms by the Chief of Staff to the President. The gathering came shortly after Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, emerged as the newly elected president of the NBA, having secured victory over two other contenders in the association’s 2026 leadership election.
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