Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has declared that he will not withdraw the statement in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal,” despite pressure from the Department of State Services (DSS).
Sowore had reacted to a remark made by President Tinubu during his state visit to Brazil, where the president claimed that corruption no longer existed in Nigeria’s currency market.
In response, Sowore took to his X handle to berate the president.
He wrote, “This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
In reaction, the DSS petitioned social media platforms X and Facebook to request the deactivation of Sowore’s accounts.
The government agency later issued him a one-week ultimatum to delete and retract his statement or face consequences.
In a fresh response on X, Sowore insisted he would not back down.
“Even if you give me till the end of Tinubu’s tenure in 2027, I will NOT retract my statement,” he said.
Sowore contested for the presidency under the African Action Congress in 2019 and 2023.