The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using repeated court proceedings to frustrate his political activities and prevent him from campaigning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sowore made the remarks on Tuesday after appearing in court for the ongoing anti-Tinubu post trial.
He claimed that the frequent hearings were deliberately scheduled to disrupt his campaign engagements and limit his efforts to mobilise Nigerians for political change.
In a post on X, the activist alleged that the proceedings were intended to distract him from his presidential ambition, insisting that the alleged intimidation would not stop him from pursuing his political goals.
“They don’t want me to campaign, hence these relentless, day-to-day court proceedings, which are deliberately designed to distract and frustrate me. But they will fail, as usual. No amount of intimidation or persecution will stop me!” he wrote.
Speaking to journalists, Sowore also alleged that the prosecution was determined to send him to prison, but maintained that neither the case nor what he described as political persecution would derail his campaign.
“They don’t want us to campaign to become president. But whether they like it or not, by every means necessary, this country will be liberated,” he said.
The AAC candidate disclosed that he was expected to return to court on Thursday, a date he said conflicted with a planned campaign engagement.
He alleged that the timing of court hearings repeatedly coincided with his travel plans and political activities, forcing him to balance his legal obligations with his campaign schedule.
“Anytime we are travelling, they will go and choose that date,” Sowore alleged, adding that he would attend the hearing before proceeding with his campaign.
He further claimed that the prosecution had previously indicated its intention to discontinue the case after he travelled abroad but resumed proceedings following his return to Nigeria.
Sowore also criticised the prosecution’s handling of the case, particularly the legal arguments presented by senior advocate A.T. Kehinde.
He alleged that a dispute over the procedure for setting aside a subpoena exposed a misunderstanding of basic legal principles on the part of the prosecution’s counsel.
According to Sowore, an application to set aside a subpoena should be made through a motion. He claimed that the judge acknowledged the procedural issue during the proceedings.
“The judge was forced to admit that the senior lawyer, A.T. Kehinde, that has been practising law for 40 years and two months, that the man doesn’t know law,” he said.
The activist used the court appearance to renew his call for a revolution in Nigeria, arguing that fundamental changes were necessary to address electricity shortages, unemployment, poverty, insecurity and corruption.
He said his vision of a revolution included reliable electricity, free education, employment opportunities, affordable healthcare and improved agricultural production.
“The revolution that will give you 24 hours’ electricity, that’s the revolution we want,” Sowore said.
He also criticised what he described as the criminalisation of poverty, arguing that Nigerians should not face arrest simply because they lack financial resources.
On corruption, Sowore accused political leaders of misappropriating public funds and called for stronger institutions to hold public officials accountable.
“The revolution that will stop all these criminals, including Tinubu, from looting your treasury and then using it to rob on your face,” he said.
He also called for reforms in the security sector, arguing that the police should focus on arresting corrupt individuals rather than protecting them.
On the country’s security challenges, Sowore said Nigeria needed a military capable of confronting terrorists, bandits and kidnappers effectively.
He further advocated what he described as “revolutionary justice,” insisting that those responsible for injustice should also be held accountable under a reformed justice system.
However, Sowore said his movement would not subject those it accused of wrongdoing to the same treatment, maintaining that they would be entitled to justice.
“You are doing injustice, but we will never do injustice against you. We will make sure that you get justice,” he said.
