African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has said he believes he is being targeted by those in power because of his long-standing opposition to corruption and injustice in Nigeria. He made the remarks on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, shortly after regaining his freedom from the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Sowore was recently granted bail in the sum of N200 million in a criminal defamation case filed against him over comments he allegedly made about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The case followed allegations that he referred to the President as a criminal.
Speaking during the interview, Sowore said the legal action against him was not simply about the words he used but part of a wider pattern of persecution that he believes has continued for many years.
According to him, influential figures within the country’s political leadership and security agencies have consistently gone after him because of his criticism of corruption, abuse of power and bad governance.
He argued that his disagreements have always been with what he described as Nigeria’s ruling class, whom he accused of damaging the country’s progress. He maintained that his activism and repeated calls for accountability have placed him in conflict with those occupying positions of authority.
The former presidential candidate also pointed to previous incidents in his life, saying they reflected a long history of punishment for his activism. He recalled that his National Youth Service Corps certificate was withheld over claims that he engaged in political activities during the military era in 1996. He also referenced his expulsion from the University of Lagos, which he said resulted from his involvement in student protests.
Sowore maintained that his actions over the years have been driven by the desire to defend not only his own rights but also the rights of ordinary Nigerians. He insisted that his current legal challenges are another example of the consequences he has faced for speaking out against corruption, injustice and impunity.