Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), says Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers, would not have become speaker and governor if he had not fought for democracy during the military era.

Speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Sowore said Amaechi invited him to his house for a meal after they clashed during the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, on Monday.

During the conference, Sowore criticised Nigerian politicians who had previously held public offices, while calling on voters to reject their repeated promises.

The AAC presidential candidate also criticised Amaechi over the handling of the rail line project when he was governor of Rivers.

Responding to Sowore, Amaechi listed the infrastructural projects he executed when he was governor of Rivers and as minister of transportation.

The former governor asked Sowore to close his mouth when experienced politicians are talking, adding that the activist should show his experience.

‘I FOUGHT FOR DEMOCRACY’

Speaking during the interview, the AAC presidential candidate said that after the event, he asked Amaechi to apologise to him.

Sowore said his struggle for democracy is what Amaechi and other establishment politicians are currently enjoying.

“If I did not fight for democracy, Rotimi Amaechi would not be standing there yesterday. If we are still under military rule, he would never have been speaker, governor for eight years, and minister for eight years,” Sowore said.

“He is one of the guys who benefitted from my extraordinary struggle for democracy. That is what I said to him after the event.

“I called him; I said, ‘you should apologise to me’. He asked me to come over to his house to eat. I said, ‘no, I don’t want you to poison me because I know you are not happy.’ I’m just kidding.”

Sowore dismissed the insinuations that he lacks the experience needed for political office, adding that his experience came from his fight for democracy.

The activist said some of the ideas being peddled by politicians were first articulated by him, adding that he had previously warned that petrol subsidy removal will ruin the Nigerian economy.

Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users