Sowore blasts Amaechi over anti-corruption claim, labels him “A Fool at 40”

Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has launched a scathing attack on former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his recent remarks on ending corruption in Nigeria.

Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State and ex-Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, had claimed during an X Space discussion that he would eradicate corruption within one month if elected president.

Reacting in a video posted by SaharaReporters, Sowore dismissed Amaechi’s statement as hypocritical, accusing him of being part of Nigeria’s entrenched political problem.

“Amaechi said he would end corruption in one month. He has been Speaker for eight years, Governor for eight years — that’s 16 years. He was Minister for eight years, making it 24 years in power. If you deduct 24 from 60, what do you say? A fool at 40 is a fool forever,” Sowore said.

The activist argued that Amaechi’s long years in public office had yielded no visible anti-corruption legacy, insisting that politicians like him were deceiving Nigerians with empty promises.

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Sowore also addressed the broader political landscape, noting that while alternatives to the current political class exist, they must be pursued with urgency.

“Yes, we have alternatives and we have provided them. We will participate, but we are not bound by one alternative because time is not on our side. The clock is ticking, and I keep telling the youths that you might be young today but not young forever,” he cautioned.

In a jab at the state of the nation, Sowore lamented how economic hardship and poor governance have aged many young Nigerians prematurely.

“There are some Nigerian youths that when I see them, I’m 54, and they tell me they’re 24. I ask, are we the same age? The system has made them not look their age anymore,” he said.

Sowore’s remarks have stirred fresh debate on the credibility of political promises ahead of the 2027 general elections, as well as the role of long-serving politicians in Nigeria’s governance failures.