Politics
Sowore: Stormy petrel, as change agent
• Activism, Journalism, Politics
Omoyele Sowore is presently in a war of attrition with former governor of Rivers State and FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, over accusations official corruption by acquiring personal property abroad beyond his legitimate earnings.
This has apparently brought fresh attention to the government and President Bola Tinubu on the conduct of his officers soon after the controversy involving Dr. Betta Edu, a former minister of Humanitarian Services and Disaster Management.
Sowore seems to be controversy personified, a gadfly that’s impatient with the dysfunction in his country’s public and private, who sees deeply entrenched political and social construct in Nigeria as warped in favor of the ruling classes. For Mr. Sowore, the Sahara Reporters Publisher since 2006, the status quo in the Nigerian system is not acceptable, and there’s a need for #Revolution Now!
It’s debatable whether anyone has been a thorn in the flesh of contemporary political leadership in recent time more than Sowore, and it may be less of a debate to say that he inherited the touchstone of social activism in all its ramifications bequeathed by the old guard led by luminaries, such as Gani Fawehinmi, Olisa Agbakoba, Ayo Obe, Arthur Nwankwo Chima Ubani, Beko Ransom Kuti, Femi Falana, Clement Nwankwo among others..
Two weeks ago, Sowore, petitioned the Attorney General of Florida, calling for the forfeiture of the alleged assets, prosecution of those involved, and the imposition of a visa ban on the minister.
Sowore alleged that the property, located on 113 Spring Creek Lane, Winter Springs, Florida, was purchased by the minister in March 2025 and registered in the names of Wike’s children — Joaquin, Jazmyne and Jordan — together with his wife, Justice Eberechi Wike, a serving judge.
Some groups have also issued statements, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the allegations to ascertain if they are true.
Speaking on the matter penultimate Sunday, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special
The only difference being that in the fatigue we have witnessed in social activism in the last two decades, his seems to be a one man army in quest of a just society. He came from a polygamous family, and nuances and street wisdom required to survive in such family may have prepared him for a long hurl in dangerous waters.
But then, his activism has been blighted by accusations and charges of self serving interest and overreach. How did the Ese Odo, Ondo state born Sowore manage to annoy the successive establishments in the country?
Perhaps, part of the explanation may be a kind of ruthless fearlessness that pushed him to the center of student politics and activism in the early 1990s.
Personal Pedigree
He served as the President of the University of Lagos Student Union Government between 1992 and 1994 during which time he was involved in anti-cultism and anti-corruption advocacy.
In 1989, he participated in student demonstrations protesting the conditions of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan of $120 million to be used for a Nigerian oil pipeline. Included among the conditions of the IMF loan, was a reduction in the number of universities in Nigeria from 28 to 5.
In 1992, Sowore led 5,100 students in protest against the Nigerian government. The protest resulted in police opening fire and killing seven protesters. Sowore was arrested and tortured. He was also involved in the demand for a democratic government taking over military rule in Nigeria on 12 June 1993. This resulted in several arrests, detentions and life-threatening treatment of protesters by government officials.
He was part of June 12 struggle and from the perch in students activism he has not looked back .
In 2006 he founded Sahara Reporters , a guerilla newspaper, which had access to inner recesses of government, ferreting out for the public information the government would rather was not published in the manner of Tempo magazine during the darkest days of military rule in the 1990s.
In August 2018, he founded the African Action Congress party and ran as its presidential candidate in the 2019 Nigerian general election. Sowore also ran for President in the 2023 Nigerian General elections.
On 3 August 2019, Sowore was arrested by the Nigerian State Security Service (SSS), for alleged treason after calling for a protest tagged RevolutionNow.
He was arrested again and assaulted during a protest in Abuja on 1 January 2021. Sowore was injured by a police officer during a protest in Abuja on 31 May 2021.
He has been arrested several times for organizing protests and for his anti government stance on many issues. He fused citizens reporting with political ambition.
His foray into politics
On 25 February 2018, Sowore announced his intention to run for presidency in the 2019 Nigerian general election. In August 2018, he founded a political party, the African Action Congress (AAC), for which he would run for in 2019. On 6 October, 2018, following successful primary elections at the AAC’s national convention, Sowore emerged unchallenged as the presidential candidate for the party. After touring many states in Nigeria, visiting dignitaries, such as the Emir of Kano and Wole Soyinka, Sowore embarked on a fund-raising tour around the world including Australia, the United States of America, and the UK. He was in Luton, England, on 10 November 2018.
Sowore also contested the 2023 general election as the presidential candidate of his party (AAC) where he recorded 14,608 votes, an election he described as a “selection”.
He has at different occasions called President Bola Tinubu a criminal without evidence, this charge has put him in running battle with the Directorate of Security Service, DSS, who has arraigned him at a Federal Court over accusation of cyber bullying. The DSS gave him timeline to recant but he refused. He has also countersued the secret police.
In spite of being in different political party, he has also defended Peter Obi from repeated attacks by government, and has severally called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, arguing why Kanu should be in detention when Boko Haram and bandits leaders are walking free.
Lately he has squared up with Nyesom Wike , the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Two weeks ago, Sowore, petitioned the Attorney General of Florida, calling for the forfeiture of the alleged assets, prosecution of those involved, and the imposition of a visa ban on the minister.
Sowore alleged that the property, located on 113 Spring Creek Lane, Winter Springs, Florida, was purchased by the minister in March 2025 and registered in the names of Wike’s children — Joaquin, Jazmyne and Jordan — together with his wife, Justice Eberechi Wike, a serving judge.
Some groups have also issued statements, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the allegations to ascertain if they are true.
Speaking on the matter penultimate Sunday, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister, said his principal has already addressed such claims publicly and remains unbothered.
“First, the FCT minister is not worried by any of these things. He has reacted publicly to many of these allegations. To him, it is normal and he is not losing sleep over it. There is a saying in Yorubaland that ‘it is the ripe, sweet oranges that people throw sticks and stones at on the tree’. Let them continue all the lies and falsehood.
He further dismissed the property records being circulated by Sowore as ordinary public documents, which can be accessed by anybody online.
Olayinka, also accused human Sowore, of owning a mansion valued at $552,000.00 (about N885m) in the United States. Olayinka made this disclosure on two Fridays ago in a post on his verified X handle.
His efforts may be swaying his way as reports have it that the State of Florida is considering with seriousness Sowore’s petitions.
Also Lilian Onoh, who was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Namibia and former Chargé d’Affaires to Jamaica has also accused Sowore of using his activism to make money and to turn himself into political mercenary in the hands of political jobbers. She noted that Geoffrey Onyeama and some powerful interest in the former administration had used Sowore to peddle false accusations against her, describing Sowore as a fake and tainted human rights activist.
