The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has called for an end to the practice of addressing Nigerian politicians as “His Excellency” or “Her Excellency.”.
He argued that many of political elite have failed to justify the honourific title through their records in office.
Sowore made the call in a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, saying the title was inappropriate in a country grappling with corruption, poverty, insecurity and failing public infrastructure.
He said Nigerian politicians had not earned the designation, insisting that decades of poor governance could not be described as “excellent.”
“No Nigerian politician should ever again be addressed as His Excellency or Her Excellency.
“There is nothing excellent about decades of corruption, poverty, insecurity, darkness, broken hospitals, collapsing schools, and failed governance,” Sowore wrote.
His comments came a day after he engaged in a heated exchange with former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, during a political session at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The session, which focused on Nigeria’s political future ahead of the 2027 general elections, also featured discussions on fuel subsidy removal, transportation policy and the records of former public officials.
Sowore used the occasion to challenge politicians who had previously held public office to account for their performance before seeking another mandate from Nigerians.
He specifically questioned the records of Amaechi and presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, while criticising politicians who supported the removal of fuel subsidy.
“I love one thing that Amaechi said. He said that apart from Sowore and Adebayo, the rest of us have been in government and we have failed. They have no business coming back. You guys should be apologising to the Nigerian people,” he said.
Sowore also argued that successive administrations had failed to provide adequate transportation alternatives that could cushion the impact of rising fuel costs on Nigerians.
He criticised projects executed during Amaechi’s tenure, while maintaining that he had been consistent in opposing fuel subsidy removal.
“If there’s anyone who has been consistent about not removing our subsidies, it has been me. And it took Amaechi and his principal almost 10 years to catch up with me,” he said.
Amaechi, who represented the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, rejected Sowore’s assessment and defended his record in government.
The former governor pointed to roads and primary schools constructed during his tenure in Rivers State, as well as railway projects executed while he served as Minister of Transportation.
“Lagos-Ibadan railway, is it working or not? At my time, it was working. I don’t know what is happening under Tinubu. There is Abuja-Kaduna rail, working or not?” Amaechi said.
He subsequently challenged Sowore to inspect projects executed during his administration in Rivers State, asking lawyers from the state to take the AAC candidate around.
“Where are Rivers lawyers? Please take Sowore around. Sowore, I said I built that road. I built this road. I built this primary school. I built that primary school. What is your experience?” Amaechi asked.
The exchange became more heated when Amaechi told Sowore, “When politicians are talking, Sowore, close your mouth.”
