The 2023 Nigerian presidential election has been marred by controversy, with opposition figures questioning the legitimacy of the results. Sowore, a long-time advocate for justice, was reacting to the alleged threat made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) publicity secretary, Felix Morka, to former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. In the latest salvo, Omoyele Sowore, a prominent critic of the government and former presidential candidate, has alleged that Bola Tinubu was not elected by the Nigerian people, but rather selected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Sowore’s claims have sparked heated debate and added to the growing chorus of dissent over the election’s outcome.

Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has said the 2023 general elections that produced Bola Tinubu as President did not reflect the will of the Nigerian people.

He disclosed this while appearing on an interview hosted by VOP TV on YouTube.

Sowore, a long-time advocate for justice, was reacting to the alleged threat made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) publicity secretary, Felix Morka, to former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter
Obi had criticised the worsening political, economic, security, and healthcare conditions, describing the Tinubu government’s claims of progress as inconsistent with the realities on the ground.

However, Morka, in an interview, said, “Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets.”

When asked why Nigerian leaders attacked critics, Sowore said only those “selected against the will of the people are worried about criticism.”

He added that Tinubu wasn’t elected as president but selected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“That’s exactly what happened in a country where leaders aren’t elected; Tinubu wasn’t elected by the Nigerian people; he was selected by INEC. It was votes allocation, everybody understood that, so when they get there, they will be defensive because they know that they don’t have legitimacy,” Sowore said.

“If you are legitimately the leader of the people and you are working for the people, why will you be worried that the people are criticizing you? But this has been the nature of defensive leadership.

“Firstly, their accession to power is compromised. Second, they have nothing to offer other than insult. That’s why you see a president of a country is more interested in hiring people who know how to insult as supposed to people who know how to solve problems.”