Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused President Bola Tinubu and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, of allegedly plotting to secure his conviction in order to prevent him from participating in the 2027 presidential election.
In a post shared on X, Sowore claimed that the DSS leadership resorted to court actions after an earlier attempt to disrupt his party’s internal processes reportedly failed.
He alleged that the security agency was determined to frustrate his political ambitions through legal and institutional pressure.
“The lawless DSS DG, Tosin Ajayi, shall be disgraced and forgotten, just as the former DG of that lawless agency under the Buhari regime was disgraced!” Sowore wrote.
Allegations of Detention Manipulation
Fresh allegations also emerged suggesting irregularities in Sowore’s detention at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. Sources cited in reports claimed that DSS officials influenced where he was held, allegedly placing him in a section of the facility considered unsafe.
According to the claims, the alleged strategy was to create grounds for his legal team to challenge the detention conditions in court, potentially leading to a request for his transfer into DSS custody.
The sources further alleged that such a move would place him under direct control of the secret police.
Sowore’s Reaction
Responding to the allegations and his ongoing legal challenges, Sowore accused the DSS leadership of collaborating with a Federal High Court judge, Justice M. G. Umar, in what he described as a politically motivated prosecution.
He maintained that the case against him was designed to silence dissent and prevent him from contesting future elections.
“Their overzealous determination to prosecute and convict me on behalf of their boss, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, using Justice Muhammad Umar of the Federal High Court, will not stand the test of time,” he said.
Sowore also criticised the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for honouring the DSS Director-General despite what he described as repeated harassment of journalists and lawyers by security operatives.
Broader Legal and Health Concerns
The activist’s comments come amid his ongoing legal dispute with the DSS over remarks he allegedly made against President Tinubu.
He has consistently maintained that the prosecution is politically motivated and aimed at restricting his freedom of expression.
Reports have also raised concerns about conditions at the correctional facility, including claims that inmates with tuberculosis are being held in proximity to other detainees, raising health and safety concerns.
Sowore’s case continues to attract public attention as debates over civil liberties, security agency conduct, and political freedoms intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
