Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has described the ongoing political realignments and calls for coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections as hollow and self-serving.
Speaking during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM Ilese-Ijebu, monitored by New Telegraph, Sowore said political coalitions in Nigeria are often “vehicles created to carry the next set of thieves to loot the national treasury,” rather than instruments of ideological unity.
His comments come amid a wave of defections across opposition parties—including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)—as well as from within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Sowore, the real coalition Nigeria needs is one that unites the oppressed and marginalized citizens whose voices have been stifled by decades of recycled leadership.
“Political parties are supposed to unite like-minded people. Ironically, those now calling for coalitions are the same ones who rejected it during the last election. They’ve weakened themselves,” he said.
Sowore called for a total break from Nigeria’s entrenched political order and urged citizens to reject a system that continually recycles corrupt leaders. He emphasized the need for political reform, which he said must begin with dismantling the old guard.
“When we want to break an old system, we need to jettison the pipeline that supplies the rotten ones in the system. Nigerians must take a collective decision to end the dominance of recycled leadership if genuine change is to be achieved,” he declared.
Commenting on the electoral process, Sowore criticized the voter registration system, describing the voter’s card as a burden on citizens.
“The biggest burden imposed on citizens is the voter’s card, which has to be renewed every four years. A National ID card, international passport, or driver’s license should be sufficient for voter registration,” he argued.
He further alleged that undistributed voter cards are often used to rig elections and advocated for the adoption of electronic voting. He suggested eliminating the current voter card system and enabling Nigerians to vote remotely.
“People vote on Big Brother Naija from the comfort of their homes, and we’ve never heard of rigging. Why can’t we employ the same technology for national elections?” he asked.
Sowore also questioned the wasteful printing of excess voter cards, saying, “The voter card has now become a means of identification for banks and not even for voting. Why print excess plastic cards at the expense of the national treasury?”
