A coalition of civil society organisations has called for urgent state action against activist and two-time presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, over his repeated description of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal and liar.”
The coalition, under the leadership of Comrade Adeniran Taiwo Olugbenga of the Initiative for Integrity, Accountability and Probity (IIAP) and Comrade Steve Eriba of the Independent Public Service and Accountability Watch (IPSAW), staged a protest at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja before addressing journalists.
They demanded Sowore’s arrest, investigation, and prosecution, accusing him of undermining Nigeria’s image at home and abroad.
“By calling a duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria a criminal and liar, Sowore has crossed the red lines.
“Freedom of expression is sacred, but it is not a licence for lunacy. Our constitution protects speech, not sabotage,” the coalition declared.
The groups argued that Sowore’s comments following Tinubu’s recent remarks in Brazil, where the President touted reforms as tackling corruption and improving the economy, amounted to a deliberate attack on Nigeria’s dignity.
“Sowore’s so-called activism is a toxic brew of despair, chaos, and self-promotion. He thrives on wreckage, not reform, on division, not destiny.
“Unlike movements such as EndSARS or Not-Too-Young-To-Run, which inspired progress, Sowore’s rhetoric poisons minds and fuels instability,” the coalition asserted
They further warned that his words could embolden extremists and jeopardise the nation’s fragile security.
“His latest outburst proves it, and we must not allow him to infect our youth with this noise and chaos,” the statement added.
Reaffirming support for President Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda, the coalition vowed to resist “crisis entrepreneurs” seeking to derail the administration’s reforms.
“We rally today in solidarity with our President and country. True activism involves sacrifice, construction, and transformation. Sowore’s theatre of despair destroys, divides, and distracts. No single person’s lust for chaos will chain Nigeria,” the statement concluded.