Omoyele Sowore, an African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and activist, has accused the prosecution in his continuing case against the federal government of punishing him rather than following due process.
During an interview with ARISE NEWS, Sowore denied that his accusation against President Bola Tinubu was only a political viewpoint, claiming that it was founded on facts that he feels can be tested through the court process.
“This is a factual statement. And it states that if anyone has been involved in drug trading or trafficking, there is no limitation.
“The NDLEA can still try you even if you are president after your term is ended. We can make that argument. In this situation, it is more than that.
“During End SARS, there was an active case at the Federal High Court involving the embezzlement of billions of dollars in taxes—taxes that were supposed to be paid by Alpha Beta and were linked to this president.” He had never handled that matter.
“After End SARS, we were told that the records had been burned in the courtroom to cover it up. And we have a few of these,” Sowore explained.
Sowore went on to say that he had encouraged the authorities to let the case go to trial so that he could submit his evidence, but that instead, efforts were made to undermine his defence.
“What I advised them was that you should simply calm down. Let us establish our case in court. But, just as we were about to prove the case, our counsel began tearing into their only witness—a DSS employee who said he discovered I made this statement. The judge grew agitated.
“He said, ‘Stop’. If you don’t stop, come and kneel down here.” It had never happened before. I attempted to get my primary attorney, Marshal Abubakar, to kneel before a judge because they did not want us to deliver our evidence.
“They are interested in convicting, punishing me without conviction,” he said.
Sowore claimed that freedom of expression should be guaranteed by the rule of law rather than determined by those in power. He said that the Cybercrime Act should not be used to suppress critics or criminalize remarks regarding public leaders.
His comments come as he faces a prosecution over social media statements in which he referred to President Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The case resulted in the revocation of his bail after he failed to appear in court, albeit he was later given new bail under tougher conditions.
Sowore also underlined that his advocacy is motivated by a desire for justice rather than political ambition, stating that he will continue to speak out against what he views injustice regardless of personal consequences.
