The Presidency has condemned activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, for planning a protest march to the State House, Abuja, to demand the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, had announced that the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration would hold on October 20 at 7 a.m., describing it as a “historic protest” to press for Kanu’s freedom.
Reacting to the planned protest on his verified X handle, presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga (@aonanuga1956), called Sowore “an anarchist masquerading as a rights activist.” He accused him of seeking to incite unrest under the pretext of activism.
According to Onanuga, the protest was a deliberate attempt to undermine the rule of law and obstruct Kanu’s ongoing treason trial.
“You are nothing more than an anarchist masquerading as a rights activist. You very well know that Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial for treason, and yet you want to cause a breakdown of law and order by mobilising for a protest. Is this the kind of revolution you envisage for Nigeria, where the rule of law will be violated and your idea of justice would be the law of the jungle?” he said.
Atiku Also Draws Fire
Onanuga also faulted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for showing sympathy with the protest, describing his position as opportunistic and unbecoming of a statesman.
“I am surprised that ex-VP Atiku Abubakar, who is always opportunistic, has supported the planned mob action. As a statesman, he should know better that matters of justice are not resolved on the streets but in the law court,” Onanuga stated.
He stressed that while Kanu’s case may appear slow, the administration is determined to follow due process.
“While the wheel of justice can sometimes be grindingly slow, partly caused by Kanu’s lawyers, Nnamdi Kanu will eventually get the justice he deserves for his alleged transgressions,” he said.
A Protest With Political Undercurrents
The planned demonstration has already stirred debate across social media and political circles, with rights groups divided over its implications.
Supporters of Sowore describe it as a test of Nigeria’s democratic tolerance, while critics see it as a veiled attempt to inflame ethnic tensions.
Meanwhile, some say the government’s hard stance may only draw more sympathy for the protests and harden the organisers.
As October 20 approaches, Abuja braces for what could become a defining moment in the country’s long, uneasy conversation about justice and fairness, but also about Nnamdi Kanu himself, and what he stands for.
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