According to a video by Symfoni TV, former governor of Edo State and ex-president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Senator Adams Oshiomhole, launched a scathing critique against activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore and senior advocate Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) during a fiery speech at a public book launch in Abuja.
In a wide-ranging address laced with personal recollections and political analysis, Oshiomhole accused Sowore of “misleading Nigerians” through what he described as cynical and defeatist rhetoric about the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
“I heard Sowore now trying to mislead us,” Oshiomhole said, referencing Sowore’s previous claim that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is ineffective. “If INEC is of no use, why did you submit your forms to INEC?”
Oshiomhole further took issue with Sowore’s comments that the pro-democracy movement made a mistake by not contesting power in 1999, arguing that such sweeping dismissals have historically discouraged serious political participation.
He said; “This same cynicism misled some of those who fought for democracy to believe that nothing good could come out of the military. That’s how others moved in, captured power, and changed the rules of the game.”
Turning his attention to Olisa Agbakoba, Oshiomhole criticized recent comments attributed to the legal luminary suggesting that Western democracy was not working in Nigeria.
“If Western democracy is not working, which should we go for—Chinese democracy? Russian democracy? Or should we invite the British to recolonize us?” he asked sarcastically.
He questioned the role of the elite in shaping Nigeria’s political system, lamenting that decisions such as the transition from parliamentary to presidential governance were made without consulting the working class.
“It was elite lawyers who collaborated with the military to decree a new system. The working class was never asked,” he said.
Oshiomhole also paid tribute to civil society icons like the late Chima Ubani, who died while using his official vehicle, and Ayo Obe, whom he described as one of the bravest women of her time.
While admitting that Nigeria’s democratic experience remains deeply flawed, Oshiomhole argued that wholesale condemnation of the system risks further alienating citizens from meaningful engagement.
“Even in this confusion, it makes sense that we identify some islands of success. Giving up should never be an option”, he concluded.
Find Verified News At Your fingertips Click The Button Below
