February 3, 2026 l By Dalena Reporters
LAGOS, Nigeria — Human rights campaigner and activist Omoyele Sowore has sharply criticised Senator Adams Oshiomhole for appearing disconnected from the daily economic struggles of ordinary Nigerians, in the wake of a viral video showing the Edo State lawmaker aboard a private jet with a woman. Sowore’s remarks, which drew national attention on Tuesday, highlighted growing public frustration over elite privilege amid persistent inflation and hardship.
The backlash follows widespread circulation of a video on social media depicting Oshiomhole a former governor of Edo State and current senator representing Edo North in an upscale private aircraft engaged in an intimate gesture with a woman identified as a South African lifestyle influencer and adult content creator. Online commentators noted the contrast between the senator’s opulent setting and the economic reality faced by many Nigerians.
In response, Sowore founder of Sahara Reporters and a veteran pro-democracy campaigner asserted that Oshiomhole’s perspective on Nigeria’s inflation is out of touch with grassroots realities. “When ‘Comrade’ Oshiomhole says food prices have dropped, he’s not speaking from the marketplace, he’s speaking from 30,000 feet,” Sowore said, referencing the altitude of private jets. He argued that a life insulated by luxury travel and elite comforts makes it difficult for some leaders to grasp the hardships Nigerians endure in everyday life, such as rising prices of staples like garri, rice, and cooking oil.
Sowore described the senator’s capability to rent private jets for personal travel as emblematic of elite privilege that further distances public officials from economic distress faced by the majority. “Hunger doesn’t register in first class, and inflation is invisible when your life runs on private jets,” he said.
The comments come amid ongoing debate in Nigeria over the state of the economy particularly the effects of measures such as fuel subsidy removal and currency unification policies introduced by the federal government in 2023. These reforms have contributed to higher living costs, with critics asserting that prices of food and essential goods remain a significant concern for many households.
Oshiomhole has previously publicly backed President Bola Tinubu’s economic policy direction, acknowledging the difficulty of the adjustments but maintaining that they are necessary for long-term recovery. Speaking in December 2025, he likened the reform process to a “medical operation” in which short-term pain is an unavoidable part of healing and stabilising the national economy.
The viral nature of the private jet footage has reinforced wider public scrutiny of political leaders’ lifestyles. Critics argue that showy displays of wealth can undermine confidence in leadership, especially when juxtaposed with persistent inflation and economic pressure on ordinary citizens. Many Nigerians perceive such incidents as symbolic of broader disconnects between political elites and the everyday challenges faced by the populace.
As this story continues to develop online and within political discourse, analysts say it reflects both the power of social media in shaping public perception and the deepening conversation about accountability, empathy, and economic policy among Nigeria’s political class.