A coalition of civil society organisations has demanded the arrest and prosecution of activist and former presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, accusing him of making reckless attacks on President Bola Tinubu.
The group spoke on Wednesday, September 3, after a protest at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja. Led by 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), the coalition condemned Sowore’s repeated remarks labelling Tinubu a criminal and liar.
“By calling a duly elected and legitimate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria a criminal and liar, Sowore has crossed the red lines and must not be allowed to walk freely while denigrating our institutions and leaders with impunity,” the coalition stated.
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It added, “Freedom of expression is sacred, but it is not a license for lunacy. Omoyele Sowore’s actions are not activism but a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s soul. Calling our President a criminal and branding our nation as hell abroad is not dissent, it is betrayal.”
The coalition argued that Sowore’s activism thrives on chaos, not reform.
“He thrives on wreckage, not reform, on division, not destiny. Nigerian youth have proven that protest can spark progress. In clear contrast, Sowore’s brand of activism doesn’t inspire, it poisons minds.”
Declaring support for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the coalition urged state action, saying Sowore’s rhetoric posed a direct danger to national security and must be stopped.