Human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore has taken a swipe at former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his recent claim that he could end corruption in Nigeria within one month if elected president.
Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor and ex-Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, made the statement during a discussion on X Space. He insisted that his leadership approach and political will would be sufficient to stamp out corruption swiftly.
Sowore, however, dismissed the comment as both unrealistic and hypocritical, pointing to Amaechi’s long political career as evidence that his promise lacked credibility. In a video posted on SaharaReporters, Sowore accused Amaechi of political deception, remarking:
“Amaechi said he would end corruption in one month. Amaechi has been a Speaker for eight years, governor for eight years – that’s 16 years. He was Minister for eight years, making it 24 years. If you deduct 24 from 60, what do you say? A fool at 40 is a fool forever.”
Sowore argued that after decades in positions of significant power, Amaechi had ample opportunity to combat corruption but failed to deliver. According to him, such last-minute campaign promises were an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians.
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The former presidential candidate further cautioned young Nigerians against blindly believing political rhetoric, stressing the need for vigilance and critical thinking. He emphasized that Nigeria’s political system had consistently recycled leaders who were part of the problem, not the solution.
“They are all deceiving you. Yes, we have alternatives and we will participate, but we are not bound by one alternative because we don’t have time on our side,” Sowore said.
He also lamented the limited window of opportunity for youths to take charge of the country’s future, urging them to seize the moment. Sowore noted that Nigeria’s harsh socio-economic environment was taking a visible toll on young people, prematurely aging them.
“The clock is ticking. You might be youth today but not youth forever. There are some Nigerian youths that when I see them, I’m 54 and they tell me they are 24, and I ask, are we the same age? The system has made them not look their age anymore,” he added.
Sowore’s remarks have sparked fresh debate online, with many Nigerians questioning the credibility of political promises from long-serving public officials.
