…Vows: No arrest order can extinguish people’s quest for freedom
By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — The African Action Congress, AAC, has declared that an arrest order issued against its presidential candidate, Comrade Omoyele Sowore, would not deter the party from participating in the 2027 elections, as it warned against what it described as growing pressure on opposition voices and democratic freedoms in Nigeria.
The party said the development was not just about Sowore but about the ability of Nigerians to speak freely, organise politically and participate in the democratic process without fear, amid worsening economic hardship, insecurity and declining public confidence in governance.
The position was contained in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of the AAC National Executive Committee, party candidates and the leadership of the Take It Back Movement, TIB.
The communiqué was signed by the Acting National Chair of the AAC, Samuel Ajeigbe, and the National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Sanyaolu Juwon.
The meeting expressed what it described as grave concern over a growing pattern of actions directed at opposition politicians, activists, journalists, labour leaders and citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
“The arrest order against Comrade Omoyele Sowore cannot be viewed in isolation. Rather, it forms part of a wider political climate in which dissent is increasingly treated as a security threat and opposition politics is subjected to administrative, legal, and institutional pressures,” the communiqué stated.
And in what emerged as the central message of the meeting, the party declared: “No arrest order can extinguish the aspirations of a people determined to be free. What is at stake is the future of democracy itself.
“Every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, has a stake in ensuring that constitutional rights are protected, political space remains open, and citizens are free to organize without fear of persecution.”
The party also linked its concerns to what it described as unresolved national challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, inequality and declining public confidence in governance.
“A democracy cannot flourish where citizens are intimidated for expressing their views, where opposition voices face systematic harassment, or where state institutions are perceived as instruments of partisan political interests,” the communiqué added.
The AAC pledged full solidarity with Sowore and vowed to defend what it described as his constitutional rights through lawful and democratic means.
“No act of intimidation, harassment, or political persecution shall deter the party from participating fully in the 2027 electoral process,” it stated.
Ahead of the election, the party said it would intensify nationwide political mobilisation and grassroots engagement, directing its structures across the country to prepare for protests, political rallies, mass meetings and other activities aimed at mobilising citizens.
It also pledged to increase the production and circulation of campaign materials and deepen collaboration with labour unions, student organisations, professional associations, community groups, civil society organisations and other democratic forces committed to defending constitutional freedoms.
The AAC further called on workers, students, youths, women, professionals, faith-based groups and civil society organisations to remain vigilant and actively defend democratic freedoms.
“The preservation of democratic rights cannot be left to political parties alone. It requires the active participation of citizens committed to justice, accountability, and freedom,” the communiqué said.
The party maintained that the controversy surrounding Sowore’s arrest order was ultimately about preserving democratic space, insisting that Nigerians must remain free to organise, criticise those in power and pursue alternative political visions without fear.
