In a no-holds-barred interview, fiery activist and opposition figure Omoyele Sowore has unleashed a stinging critique of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, branding it as worse than Buhari’s and declaring that elections in Nigeria are “rigged and irrelevant.”
Sowore, speaking ahead of Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebrations, dismissed the occasion as meaningless, stating:
“There’s nothing to celebrate. Tinubu has done irreparable damage—economically, socially, politically. Buhari killed Nigeria in eight years; Tinubu came, in two years he is burying it.”
He described Nigeria’s current system as a “shambolic democracy” where the ideals of free speech, credible elections, and freedom to choose have been “completely destroyed.”
On the controversial proposal by the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory, Sowore scoffed at the idea, arguing:
“If you have to force people to vote, democracy is dead. It’s not about participation; it’s about cooking up numbers to create fake legitimacy.”
Responding to critics who label him as “too radical,” the former presidential candidate shot back:
“I don’t think I’m radical enough. Every meaningful change came through radicals. I will not water down my convictions to please people who want me to fit into a box.”
Sowore also took a swipe at the so-called opposition, saying most of them are “political mercenaries” with no ideology, just waiting to jump ship for the right price.
“There’s no real opposition in Nigeria. They’re all fighting for a share of the loot, not to serve the people,” he stated.
On whether he plans to run in 2027, Sowore replied with characteristic defiance:
“I’ve never stopped running. But the ballot system is a scam. The only thing that can change Nigeria is rebellion—an uprising, not another sham election.”
He ruled out any political alliance with Labour Party or Peter Obi, insisting:
“The alliance I care about is with the oppressed. The 50 million voters who don’t show up at the polls—they’re my alliance.”
Sowore also blasted Tinubu’s much-touted economic reforms, warning Nigerians not to be fooled:
“They say removing fuel subsidy and floating the naira is the ‘hard road to prosperity.’ I say it’s a road to destruction. Prices are rising, the naira is crashing, and the suffering is unbearable.”
On former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Sowore dismissed his relevance in Nigerian politics, saying:
“Atiku’s time has passed. He’s just hanging around, hoping to be President. That’s all he cares about.”
Sowore’s message to Nigerians?
“Forget about 2027 elections. Organise, mobilise, and resist. That’s the only way forward.”
As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day, Sowore’s blistering critique serves as a stark reminder of the deep political discontent in the country—and a warning that without systemic change, the cycle of dysfunction and decay will continue.
