Sowore to Atiku: ‘It’s time to quit’

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 general election, Omoyele Sowore, has reacted to the comment of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that he (Sowore) “doesn’t even know” anything about the country “because he (Sowore) lives outside the country, he comes every four years to contest the presidency…he fails and goes back again. So, what does Sowore know about this country?…Absolutely nothing.”

Atiku made this comment in an interview at Arise TV on Friday monitored by our correspondent.

In a swift reaction, Sowore took to Twitter to reply to Atiku’s comment, saying “it’s time to quit” after highlighting some of the things he claimed to know.

In his reply, Sowore said Atiku “failed to address how $16bn was used to procure darkness” under his regime, which was the question posed at him, but instead said he (Sowore) did not know anything.

“Dear @atiku, I watched a clip of your @ARISEtv interview this morning wherein you were asked about my view on power scam under your regime, you failed to address how $16bn was used to procure darkness instead you claimed ‘he doesn’t even know,’ well these are some things I know: You ran for office for the first time in 1992 as a presidential aspirant of the SDP, I also ran for the post of the SU (Student Union) President of the UNILAG, you lost , I won. You left, I stayed, to deliver democracy to Nigerians.

“I then left for the US in 1999 at the age of 28. You went on to become the VP of Nigeria, you left Nigerians in darkness after spending $16billion on power, I stayed with Nigerians, shining light on the mess you and your boss created in that sector. You left, I stayed!

“After your failed plan to succeed your boss (Olusegun Obasanjo) who wanted a third term in office, I stayed to botch his third term bid. You, however, joined another political party and tried your luck, you left after you couldn’t win. You left, I stayed.

“Since 1999, you have lived in about five countries outside of Nigeria. I know this because your IP keeps changing the same way you kept changing political parties. We both contested in 2019, it was my first time contesting, but after the elections, you left, I stayed. I’m still here!

“You’ve done your rounds from the SDP-UNCP-PDP-ACN-PDP-APC back to the PDP, you have never done anything for the Nigerian people, you’ve only taken care of your needs and those that benefit your family, cronies, and friends. It is time to quit and let Nigeria experience electricity!” the publisher of Sahara Reporters tweeted.

He concluded: “My question again, is this; what happened to the $16billion released for electricity during your tenure as Vice President? #WeCantContinueLikeThis”