ABUJA — A coalition of civil society organizations has strongly condemned activist and former presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, over what it described as “careless and reckless attacks” on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The coalition, led by Comrade Adeniran Taiwo Olugbenga, Convener of the Initiative for Integrity, Accountability and Probity (IIAP), and Comrade Steve Eriba, Convener of Independent Public Service and Accountability Watch (IPSAW), made the call after a protest at the Ministry of Justice in Abuja.
They demanded the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of Sowore, who has in recent weeks branded the President a “criminal” and “liar” while faulting Tinubu’s claims in Brazil that his reforms have boosted Nigeria’s economy and curbed corruption.
In a strongly worded statement, the coalition accused Sowore of crossing “all lines of decency, respect for constituted authority and fair play.”
“By calling a duly elected and legitimate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria a criminal and liar, Sowore has crossed the red lines and must not be allowed to walk freely while denigrating our institutions and leaders with impunity,” the coalition said.
They argued that while freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed, it does not give room for what they described as “lunacy, sabotage, and social sabotage.”
“Sowore’s actions are not activism but a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s soul. Calling our President a criminal and branding our nation as hell abroad is not dissent, it is betrayal,” the statement added.
The coalition further accused Sowore of promoting chaos rather than solutions, contrasting his approach with movements like EndSARS and Not-Too-Young-To-Run, which they said inspired reforms.
“Sowore’s brand of activism doesn’t inspire, it poisons minds. He thrives on wreckage, not reform, on division, not destiny. His reckless rhetoric is a spark that ignites extremism, empowers opportunists, and fractures our fragile security,” the groups warned.
Affirming their support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the coalition vowed to resist what they called “crisis entrepreneurs” working against national stability.
“We demand decisive state action not to stifle dissent, but to safeguard its integrity; not to mute voices, but to shield Nigeria from hate speech masquerading as activism. No single person’s lust for chaos will chain Nigeria,” the coalition declared.
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