Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, has declared his intention to contest Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, made the announcement on Friday during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme.
The activist said the AAC would hold its primaries next week but did not confirm whether he would emerge as the party’s sole candidate.
“I am running to win,” Sowore said during the interview.
He argued that Nigeria needed leaders with fresh ideas, saying the country was facing worsening economic hardship and insecurity.
According to him, the current political class, including both ruling and opposition figures, had failed to address the country’s challenges.
“All the ideas of the people you mentioned brought Nigeria into this cycle of poverty, insecurity, pain, sorrow, and tears,” he said.
Sowore said his presidential ambition was aimed at offering Nigerians what he described as a genuine alternative to the country’s mainstream political establishment.
He also commented on the ongoing digital membership registration exercise directed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the AAC had not yet submitted its final register.
According to him, a recent court judgment allowed political parties to reopen their registration portals.
The 2027 election will mark the third time Sowore is seeking Nigeria’s presidency on the AAC platform, after previously contesting in the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
Over the years, Sowore has consistently positioned himself as an alternative to Nigeria’s traditional political establishment while criticising both the ruling and opposition parties over the country’s economic and security situation.
