Sowore Criticizes Oshiomhole, Accuses Him of ‘Organized Outrage’ and Collaboration with Military Regimes

Omoyele Sowore, Nigerian human rights activist and leader of the #RevolutionNow movement, has harshly criticized Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo State and former president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). Sowore, speaking in a podcast hosted by Glitch Africa Studios, claimed that Oshiomhole has never been an authentic activist, as he often portrays himself to the public.

Sowore alleged that Oshiomhole was involved in a secret deal with former Nigerian military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida, in 1992 to implement the first significant fuel price hike in Nigeria. Sowore recalled that as leader of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the time, he held a press conference in which Oshiomhole was branded an “enemy of students” for his role in supporting the fuel price increase.

“Oshiomhole was never an activist,” Sowore asserted. “In 1992, he and Pascal Bafial, a former NLC president, had an agreement with Babangida to raise fuel prices, and they backed it.” Sowore emphasized that Oshiomhole’s actions during that period were a betrayal to students and workers, noting that he was one of the few labor leaders to stay in Abuja during the Abacha regime when most pro-democracy activists had fled the country.

Further criticizing Oshiomhole, Sowore claimed that during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the former NLC leader would meet with Obasanjo and offer to support fuel price hikes in exchange for a temporary reduction, describing this as a “deal” to maintain political favor. Sowore also pointed out the contradiction in Oshiomhole’s activism, stating that he was never detained or persecuted by the military despite his alleged collaboration, questioning the legitimacy of his role in the labor movement.

Sowore’s remarks position Oshiomhole as a figure of “organized outrage,” suggesting that his public posturing as a labor leader was more about securing personal political gain rather than advocating for workers or democratic values.

These accusations are part of Sowore’s broader critique of Oshiomhole’s political history, where he has accused the former NLC president of compromising labor movements for personal and political interests.