Omoyele Sowore, a presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) for the 2027 elections, says criticising President Bola Tinubu or calling him names is not an offence. He makes the claim during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday.
Sowore argues that democracy protects citizens’ right to free expression and that people should not be arrested or prosecuted for speaking their minds. He also links the position to what he presents as Tinubu’s own approach to name-calling, alleging that Tinubu has previously used similar language and has said he does not want individuals arrested for calling him names. In one account, Sowore adds a hypothetical reaction he would have if such arrests occur, saying he would hold the responsible intelligence officer accountable. The outlets agree on the substance of Sowore’s remarks, though they vary slightly in the level of detail.
