The party said a partisan individual within the organization might have been responsible for it.
The leadership of the African Action Congress, AAC on Tuesday stated that the presidential candidate of the party, Omoyele Sowore, might have been deliberately excluded from the Arewa Consultative Forum event that was held in Kaduna on Monday.
The party said a partisan individual within the organization might have been responsible for it.
AAC revealed that the Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum sent a letter of invitation to Mr Omoyele Sowore dated June, 14th 2022, without details such as the date, time, and venue of the said dialogue.
This is contained in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Femi Adeyeye, tagged 'Why Omoyele Sowore, Presidential Candidate Of The African Action Congress Was Absent At The Event Of The Arewa Consultative Forum Held Yesterday, 17th October 2022.'
He said; "We wish to use this medium to clear the air and the many queries around the absence of Mr Omoyele Sowore, the Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) at the Arewa Consultative Forum event that held in Kaduna yesterday.
"We want to state that the Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum sent a letter of invitation to Mr Omoyele Sowore dated June, 14th 2022.
"Mr. Sowore responded through the National Secretary of our great party; thanked the forum for the invitation and requested further details such as the date, time, and venue of the said dialogue.
"This correspondence was sent to the email provided. There were no other official means of contact provided by the forum; in the letter or on the website of the organization.
"Till the event happened yesterday October 17th 2022, neither the party nor the candidate got any reply and there are still no explanations.
"In the understanding of events that have played out since the invitation, it is apparent that Sowore might have been deliberately excluded because of the relationship and underhand activities of a partisan individual within the organization.
"However, we want to restate that the Nigerian elite must take into cognizance that this is a crucial period in the history of Nigeria and Nigerians are seriously tired of recycled leaders.
“Our 2022 mantra; ‘WeCantContinueLikeThis’ envelopes a lot of things that the Nigerian people can no longer tolerate, and this includes the glorification of failed rulers while denying the Nigerian people the opportunity to listen to fresh ideas of liberation.
"The Nigerian masses can no longer tolerate those who not only lack the ability to understand but also lack the political will to do anything reasonable about the myriad of issues bedeviling our space.
"No wonder the whole event ended with “a church rat chasing Holy Communion” - a reply the APC candidate gave when asked about climate change; a global situation that has had deleterious effects on lives and property across Nigeria.
"Had we been invited, our robust plan for a Green economy and environmental justice would have been shared among the great community of intellectuals and feedback would have been noted.”
"That said, we humbly request an explanation in line with the stated facts. We are open to work, dialogue and share our ideas of liberation with every Nigerian at every given opportunity," the statement added.