By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Abuja, Nigeria — Omoyele Sowore, publisher, activist, and two-time presidential candidate, has declared that Nigeria’s democracy is in ruins, claiming that the 2027 election results are already “written” and that the country is on a downward spiral under President Bola Tinubu.
In a searing interview, Sowore spared no words in condemning the Tinubu administration, the state of electoral politics, and what he calls the “collapse of genuine opposition” in Nigeria.
“Tinubu is burying Nigeria”
Sowore, a vocal critic of the current administration, insisted that Nigerians made a historic error by electing Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023. According to him, the damage inflicted by Tinubu in two years has surpassed that of former President Muhammadu Buhari in eight.
“When Tinubu is done with this country, Nigerians will be begging to return to Buhari’s era,” Sowore stated. “He has done irreparable damage—economically, socially, politically. He has crippled institutions, education, and democracy.”
As Nigeria prepares to mark Democracy Day, Sowore rejected the notion that there is anything to celebrate. He described the current democratic structure as a façade, suggesting that the spirit of democracy has been suffocated.
“People don’t believe in democracy anymore,” he said. “What we have now is a shambolic democracy. We’ve been taken on a roller coaster ride by both military and civilian rulers.”
On the proposed bill to make voting compulsory, Sowore warned that such a move would signal the end of democracy in Nigeria.
“If you have to use threats to force people to vote, then democracy is dead,” he said. “It’s about forced legitimacy, not participation. You can’t force people to vote in a system that has already failed them.”
Sowore was unequivocal about his position on the 2027 elections, declaring that he no longer believes in the ballot box as a tool for change.
“The 2027 results are already written,” he claimed. “The only thing that can change Nigeria is rebellion against the system—not against democracy, but against another sham election.”
He dismissed suggestions that alliances with existing political structures could offer a path forward, saying his only true alliance is with Nigeria’s oppressed and disenfranchised citizens.
Sowore also distanced himself from Labour Party and Peter Obi, suggesting that most opposition figures are merely recycled politicians from the ruling parties.
> “Most of these defections are transactional,” he said. “They’re not about values or service. Real opposition means ideological difference, and we don’t have that.”
The former presidential aspirant did not mince words about PDP chieftain Atiku Abubakar.
“Atiku is a man whose time has passed. He’s still hanging around, hoping to be President. That’s all he cares about.”
Despite his bleak outlook, Sowore claimed that some of his activism has yielded results, particularly in the campaign against the Inspector General of Police. He credited the campaign with forcing out over 1,000 illegally retained senior officers and pushing long-delayed police promotions.
Sowore affirmed that the Revolution Now movement is still active, albeit less visible. He likened it to historical revolutions that took years to bear fruit.
“You don’t judge a revolution by how loud it is. You judge it by how persistent the message is. And that message is still alive.”