The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has said his party requested to use the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for its campaign council inauguration because the ruling All Progressives Congress held political events at the venue.

Sowore, who spoke at an Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria event on Thursday, said the AAC wanted opposition parties to enjoy the same opportunity to use the facility as the APC.

The party had asked President Bola Tinubu to approve the use of the Presidential Villa for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Explaining the reason for the request, Sowore said, “We asked to use Aso Rock because the APC uses Aso Rock to do political party events. So we are saying, as a matter of right, since Aso Rock is our own, other political parties must be granted the opportunity to use Aso Rock the way APC uses Aso Rock.”

The AAC had also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for participants at the proposed event scheduled for November 11, 2026.

In a letter dated October 21 and signed by its National Secretary, Oshiokhai Ikpeminioghena, the party said the request was based on multiparty democracy, political inclusiveness and equal treatment of political parties.

It argued that granting the request would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness and ensure that public institutions served Nigerians without partisan discrimination.

The development sparked a dispute between Sowore and the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, who criticised the AAC candidate over the request and questioned his party’s electoral strength.

Sowore, however, maintained that the request was about equal access to the facility, while also dismissing the proposed opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I don’t want to be part of your coalition because your rainbow coalition is going to die after 2027,” he said.

He added that Nigerians were facing difficult conditions, saying, “They have brought sorrow, and honestly, things are hard for the people of this country.”