Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has reiterated his refusal to align with political godfathers, insisting he will not compromise his values to gain power.
During an interview on Noble Nigeria with Noble Eyisi, Sowore criticised Nigeria’s political landscape, saying it has become “a burial ground for good-intentioned people” where evil thrives more than virtue.
Sowore was direct when speaking about former Anambra governor Peter Obi, whom he described as a product of elite manipulation.
“After #EndSARS, the youth were ripe for power. But the elites knew they had to insert someone they could talk to,” he said. “So they gave them Obi, and it was all packaging.”
According to him, Obi’s image as a revolutionary leader is misleading. He accused Obi’s supporters of suppressing dissent online. “Obi was portrayed as the face of the youth struggle, but it was a tyranny of the minority,” he said.
He recounted a conversation with Wole Soyinka, saying, “Even Wole Soyinka told me he almost fell for it… and he said, ‘Oh, if this is my last assignment on earth, I’m going to let people know who you people are.’”
Sowore also shared personal observations of Obi’s alleged hypocrisy. “If Peter wants to take a private jet, he will go and enter through commercial place and greet everybody… then they will bring a vehicle and put him to go to the private jet area,” he said, adding, “Peter Obi had nothing less than 10 big Toyota SUVs waiting for him.”
He recalled how Obi once praised him publicly for his role in helping him become governor, only to later allow his allies to defame him and writer Okey Ndibe. “They printed posters in Anambra calling us gay partners,” he said.
