The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has promised to introduce a N500,000 monthly living minimum wage and provide 24-hour electricity if elected president in the 2027 general elections.
Sowore made the promises in an interview published on Sunday while presenting the AAC’s plans and policies for the 2027 election.
The former presidential candidate also said an AAC-led government would provide free and accessible education at all levels, build one million public mixed-income homes and change tenancy laws to reduce the pressure of advance rent payments on Nigerians.
Sowore said his administration would focus on improving the living conditions of Nigerians and reducing the level of poverty in the country. He blamed corruption, poor leadership and economic policies that favour a small group of wealthy Nigerians for the hardship faced by many citizens.
On workers’ welfare, the AAC candidate said his proposed N500,000 monthly living minimum wage would provide workers with better purchasing power and help them cope with the rising cost of living.
He also promised to end the country’s dependence on generators by providing reliable electricity around the clock. According to him, stable power is needed to support businesses, industries and economic growth.
Sowore said education would be made free and accessible from basic education to higher institutions, adding that poverty should not prevent Nigerian children from receiving quality education.
He further promised to construct one million public homes for people across different income groups. His administration, he said, would also review tenancy laws to prevent workers and families from being forced to pay one or two years’ rent in advance.
The AAC candidate also listed healthcare as one of the areas his administration would reform. He said Nigerians should have access to proper medical care without having to depend on expensive treatment outside the country.
Sowore said his government would also invest heavily in manufacturing, agriculture, food processing and infrastructure while creating more jobs for Nigerians.
On security, he promised to reform the police and other security institutions, improve the welfare of security personnel and equip them with modern technology.
He said technologies such as drones and advanced intelligence systems would be used to tackle terrorism, banditry and other security threats across the country.
Sowore also promised a tougher approach to corruption, including efforts to recover public funds allegedly stolen by government officials and other individuals.
The AAC candidate is among the 18 presidential candidates whose names were formally released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 presidential election.
He said the AAC would finance its campaign through contributions from ordinary Nigerians rather than depending on wealthy individuals, political godfathers or major political patrons.
Sowore also described the AAC as a left-wing political alternative, arguing that Nigeria needed policies focused more directly on workers, low-income families and people facing poverty.
He said the party’s approach would include universal access to education and healthcare, decent housing, reliable electricity, better wages and social protection.
The AAC candidate also criticised the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He said an AAC government would review and reverse policies that it believes have worsened the economic situation of ordinary Nigerians.
According to Sowore, his administration would measure the success of its economic policies by how they affect the daily lives and financial conditions of citizens.
He also spoke about security during the 2027 election campaign, saying he would expect security agencies to act professionally and respect the rights of political candidates and citizens.
Sowore said his previous experiences of arrest, detention, prosecution and attacks under different administrations would not prevent him from continuing his political activities.
He added that an AAC government would focus on professionalising security institutions and improving the conditions of service for personnel.
Sowore emerged as the AAC presidential candidate for the 2027 election through a consensus arrangement within the party.
Although he recorded relatively low votes in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, he said the AAC was better positioned for the 2027 contest because it had remained outside the control of political godfathers and wealthy interests.
He said the party would take its campaign to the grassroots by strengthening its presence in wards, polling units, communities, markets, campuses and workplaces across Nigeria.
The AAC candidate expressed confidence that the party could perform better in 2027 as it seeks to present voters with an alternative to the country’s major political parties.