The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has claimed that Nigeria’s political elite have pursued him for decades because of his activism, insisting that his recent legal battles are part of a long-standing effort to silence him.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, the activist said his troubles with authorities began in 1989 when he was just 18 years old and have continued under both military and civilian administrations.
According to Sowore, his current prosecution is not about alleged defamatory remarks or cybercrime but is politically driven by those in power.
“They have been after me since I was 18 years old in this country. The military was after me. They have tried to kill me in this country,” he said.
He maintained that successive governments have consistently targeted him because of his opposition to corruption, abuse of power, and impunity.
“I am being punished by people in power for standing up for my rights and standing up for the rights of other people. It didn’t start today. They have a historical anger against me,” he stated.
Sowore argued that the conflict is between him and Nigeria’s ruling class, whom he accused of undermining the country through corruption and unchecked abuse of authority.
Reflecting on what he described as years of persecution, the activist cited the confiscation of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate during military rule over his political comments, his expulsion from the University of Lagos following student protests, multiple arrests, alleged abduction, and being shot with a riot gun during a peaceful demonstration.
He dismissed claims that his latest detention was solely linked to comments about President Bola Tinubu, insisting the reasons publicly presented by authorities differ from the real motives behind his arrest.
Sowore also defended freedom of expression, arguing that elected leaders should be open to criticism rather than using state institutions to suppress dissent.
He said that if he were president, he would not deploy security agencies against critics but would instead pursue civil legal action if he believed he had been defamed.
According to him, criminal prosecution should never be used as a tool to silence political opposition or restrict free speech in a democratic society.