Segun Sowunmi has shared his views on the political strengths and ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, stating that both politicians approach leadership from different perspectives.
Sowunmi, who is the Convener of the Alternative Movement and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the remarks during an interview from 20:52 on Arise Television aired on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
Speaking on Atiku’s political relevance and experience, Sowunmi said the former vice president possesses deep institutional knowledge gained from Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999. “I mean, for Atiku, the thing that he has that could help him, in my opinion, is that he has the institutional memories of how we started, at least from 1999,” he said.
According to him, such experience remains valuable in understanding the country’s political structure and governance challenges. “And that’s not bad,” Sowunmi added, while cautioning that long-standing political ambition must not interfere with the ability to recognise the country’s present realities. “So long as the ambition fatigue that ought to have set in has not rubbed in of the ability to really know what ought to be done now,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain also spoke on the political aspirations of Amaechi, suggesting that the former minister’s presidential ambition appears largely driven by personal ambition and a sense of political entitlement. “I think for Rotimi, he’s running purely on entitlement and ambition,” Sowunmi said.
He argued that Amaechi may have been encouraged by his performance during the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress, where he emerged among the leading contenders. “He must have convinced himself that just because he came second in the primaries of the APC, that maybe one more try may make sense,” he stated.
Despite acknowledging Amaechi’s extensive political experience, Sowunmi said he has not yet heard ideas or proposals from the former governor that personally inspire him. “I’ve tried very hard to listen to him say big things that can excite me. I haven’t heard,” he said.
Sowunmi, however, clarified that his position does not amount to a dismissal of Amaechi’s competence or experience in public office. “That does not mean I think he can’t, because he’s been a speaker. He’s been this, he’s been that. But he doesn’t move me,” he added….Read_More…