Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, saying Nigeria needs a “genuine alternative” to the country’s mainstream political establishment.
Gatekeepers News reports that Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2019 and 2023 general elections, made the declaration on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today.
The activist said the AAC would hold its presidential primaries next week but declined to confirm whether he would emerge as the party’s sole candidate.
“I am running to win,” Sowore said during the interview.
“And it is because, as I’ve said several times, all the political parties are equal, and the better candidates should be able to win elections in this country, people with ideas.
“It’s different because these are different times also. Times are harder. Nigeria is in bigger trouble.”
Sowore also claimed he has better ideas for Nigeria than Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other opposition presidential hopefuls, blaming the country’s current political class for worsening poverty, insecurity and economic hardship.
“All the ideas of the people you mentioned brought Nigeria into this cycle of poverty, insecurity, pain, sorrow, and tears,” he said.
“Do you want Nigeria to continue to get these same people elected or selected, whichever way they get themselves into office, so that they can suffer more, so that those of us who have ideas that can liberate this country will not be listened to?”
Speaking further, Sowore described his ambition as an attempt to offer Nigerians an alternative to the ruling and opposition parties, which he has repeatedly criticised over the years.
He also commented on the ongoing digital membership registration exercise ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, noting that the AAC had yet to submit its final membership register.
According to him, a recent court judgment allowed political parties to reopen their registration portals.
“We haven’t finally submitted, and that’s what this court judgment says. So if you have submitted now, the court says you can reopen your portal and start again. But we never stopped anyway,” he said.
The 2027 election will mark the third time Sowore will seek Nigeria’s presidency on the AAC platform after contesting unsuccessfully in 2019 and 2023.
Over the years, he has consistently positioned himself as a challenger to Nigeria’s traditional political establishment while advocating reforms in governance, security and the economy.
