BY Maryam Abdullahi
Omoyele Sowore, an activist, has declared his intention to run for president in 2023.
Sowore announced his presidential ambition on Tuesday at an event held in Abuja.
He also shared a campaign banner and an official Twitter handle tagged ‘Omoyele Sowore 2023’.
The activist is joining the presidential race for the second time after a first attempt in 2019.
He contested on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 presidential election.
“This is the official Twitter handle of the Sowore 2023 campaign. The official declaration of the real alternative to the status quo is about to be declared. The time for total freedom is now,” the tweet reads.
TheCable had reported in August 2019 that the activist was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged plans to lead a nationwide protest.
The activist was, thereafter, restricted to the federal capital territory (FCT) by a court order issued in 2019.
On February 24, Sowore was also arrested by the police in Abuja after attending a court sitting on the current leadership crisis in his party.
He was said to have been detained for several hours at the office of the defunct special anti-robbery squad (SARS) unit of the police in Abuja, over a petition filed against him by Ned Nwoko, a former member of the house of representatives.
On Monday, Sowore instituted a suit against Nwoko at a federal high court in Abuja over his recent arrest.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), inspector-general of police (IGP), federal capital territory (FCT) commissioner of police, and Nwoko are the first to fourth respondents, respectively.
Among the reliefs sought, Sowore is also asking for an order of the court “mandating the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents to issue an apology to the applicant, to be published in two reputable national daily newspapers for the violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights as afore-stated”.
He is also asking the court for an order “directing the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents jointly and severally, to pay to the applicant, the sum of N200,000,000 only, as general and exemplary damages for the violation of the Applicant’s fundamental rights as afore-stated”.
Meanwhile, the development came days after Nwoko, via his Instagram page, dismissed rumours of marrying a new wife.
The former lawmaker had said such rumour was peddled by a group of “little-minded faceless individuals”, adding that he would report the matter to the police for appropriate action.
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