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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A coalition of Civil societies organisations (CSOs) has descended on politician and rights activist, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, over his derogatory remarks against President Bola Tinubu during his recent state visit to Brazil.
At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the stakeholders insisted that Sowore’s remarks were not an act of activism but a calculated assault on the dignity of Nigerians and the office of the President.
Reacting through his verified X handle, the stakeholders, led by Adeniran Olugbenga, accused Sowore of actions that reeked of treachery and a blatant disregard for Nigeria as a nation.
He quoted Sowore as saying, “This criminal actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly.”
The rights group, however, called on the authorities to take punitive measures against Sowore over the remarks.
“Look at his latest stunt. While President Tinubu pitched Nigeria’s progress to global investors in Brazil, Sowore dragged our flag through the mud with insults. That is not courage; it is cowardice dressed as defiance. Criticism builds nations; insults break them. Slandering Nigeria before the world is treachery, not leadership.
“Enough is enough. Nigeria belongs to 250 million of us who toil, bleed, and pray to keep her standing. We deserve builders, not blusterers; reformers, not rabble-rousers. Our pain is real, but so is our resilience. Sowore’s venom, peddled as patriotism, has no place in our future..
“Today, we demand decisive state action, not to gag dissent, but to safeguard its integrity; not to mute voices, but to shield Nigeria from hate speech masquerading as activism.
“Nigeria is not Sowore’s stage, and our pain is not his prop. We are a generation resolved to rise, from protest to policy and productivity, from stagnation to strength, from despair to destiny.
“To our youth: reject the gospel of doom. To our leaders: act swiftly to protect our nation. To every Nigerian: join us in building a future where hope triumphs over chaos. The era of noise is over. The time for nation-building is now,” he noted.
The stakeholders comprised Independent Public Service and Accountability Watch (IPSAW), Initiative for Integrity, Accountability and Probity (IIAP), in partnership with Allied Civil Society Organisations (ACSO).
