Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has rejected calls to join the proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that his party’s request to use the Presidential Villa does not signal an alliance with President Bola Tinubu.
Sowore made the remarks on Thursday, October 22, 2026, while speaking at an event organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
The activist said the AAC’s request to hold the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council at Aso Rock was based on what he described as the need for equal access to public facilities by political parties.
According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had used the Presidential Villa for political activities, and opposition parties should be given similar opportunities.
“We asked to use Aso Rock because the APC uses Aso Rock to do political party events,” Sowore said, arguing that the facility should not be treated as the exclusive preserve of the ruling party.
He added that the AAC was not seeking to join any coalition involving Tinubu.
The AAC candidate also dismissed the possibility of joining the proposed Rainbow Coalition, which has been associated with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and efforts to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Sowore questioned the long-term viability of the alliance, predicting that it would not survive beyond the 2027 general election.
“I don’t want to be part of your coalition because your rainbow coalition is going to die after 2027,” he said.
He argued that the coalition’s location or political arrangements would not change his position, mentioning Port Harcourt, Lagos and Osun State while expressing doubts about its future.
His comments draw a clear distinction between the AAC’s demand for access to a government facility and participation in a political alliance supporting the incumbent president.
The remarks followed a letter in which the AAC asked Tinubu to approve the use of the Presidential Villa in Abuja for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council on November 11, 2026.
The party also requested food, drinks and logistical support for an expected 5,000 participants.
In the letter, the AAC cited multiparty democracy, political inclusiveness and equal treatment of political parties as the basis for its request.
The party pointed to the APC’s inauguration of its own Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Conference Centre on October 14 as justification for seeking similar access.
The request has generated debate over the use of public facilities for political party activities and whether opposition parties should receive the same access as the governing party.
As of the latest reports, no formal approval from the Presidency had been confirmed.
Sowore also commented on the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, saying many citizens were struggling. His remarks placed the coalition debate alongside wider concerns about the cost of living and the direction of the country ahead of the next election.