The African Action Congress has reaffirmed its presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, as its flagbearer for the 2027 general elections, condemning the court-ordered arrest against him and directing its members nationwide to prepare for mass protests and political mobilisation.
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The party made its position known in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee, party candidates and the leadership of the Take It Back Movement, held on Thursday.
The party made its position known in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee, party candidates and the leadership of the Take It Back Movement, held on Thursday.
The statement, signed by Acting National Chairman Samuel Ajeigbe and Take It Back Movement National Coordinator Sanyaolu Juwon, was made available on Friday.
PUNCH Online had reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja revoked the bail granted to Sowore, a human rights activist, after he failed to appear in court. Justice Mohammed Umar issued a bench warrant for his arrest, stating that Sowore’s absence without a valid reason violated the conditions of his bail.
Sowore is facing prosecution for allegedly making false claims against President Bola Tinubu, which he described as “a criminal” in social media posts. The court had previously scheduled a ruling on Sowore’s bail application, but the matter was adjourned due to his absence.
The AAC described the arrest order against Sowore as part of a broader pattern of what it called increasing intimidation of opposition figures, activists, journalists, labour leaders and citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
“The arrest order against Comrade Omoyele Sowore cannot be viewed in isolation. Rather, it forms part of a wider political climate in which dissent is increasingly treated as a security threat and opposition politics is subjected to administrative, legal, and institutional pressures,” the communiqué read.
According to the party, democracy cannot thrive where opposition voices are allegedly subjected to harassment or where state institutions are perceived as serving partisan interests.
It argued that the issues facing Nigerians extend beyond Sowore’s case, insisting that the future of democracy, constitutional rights and political participation were at stake.
“The central issue before Nigerians is not the fate of any one individual or political organisation. What is at stake is the future of democracy itself,” the statement added.
The AAC further maintained that the right to criticise government, challenge those in power and present alternative political ideas remains fundamental in a democratic society.
It also said the socio-economic challenges that fuelled public demand for political change, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, inequality and declining public confidence in governance, remain unresolved.
Among its resolutions, the party declared full solidarity with Sowore and pledged to defend his constitutional rights through lawful and democratic means.
It also condemned what it described as attempts to use state institutions to suppress political opposition and shrink civic space.
The party directed all its structures across the country to begin preparations for nationwide protests, political rallies, mass meetings and other mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
It also resolved to intensify the production and circulation of campaign materials while strengthening collaboration with labour unions, student bodies, civil society organisations, professional associations and other democratic groups.
The communiqué reaffirmed Sowore as the AAC’s presidential candidate, insisting that “no act of intimidation, harassment, or political persecution shall deter the party from participating fully in the 2027 electoral process.”
Calling on Nigerians to defend democratic values, the party urged workers, students, youths, women, professionals, faith-based organisations and civil society groups to remain vigilant.
“The preservation of democratic rights cannot be left to political parties alone. It requires the active participation of citizens committed to justice, accountability, and freedom,” the statement read.
It added, “No arrest order can extinguish the aspirations of a people determined to be free.”
The party concluded by reaffirming its commitment to what it described as “system change” and the liberation of Nigerians from poverty, maintaining that the country’s future belongs “not to repression, but to democracy; not to fear, but to freedom.”
