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By Emmanuel Thomas , Tuesday, Sept. 08, 2026
ABUJA, Nigeria — Prominent human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore issued a fiery statement on Tuesday, condemning what he characterized as a “state-sponsored blockade and attack” against Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi.
The condemnation follows footage circulating on social media showing a political convoy belonging to Mr. Obi encountering barricades and violent disruptions staged by armed individuals and political thugs while attempting to access a state capital for campaign events.
Mr. Sowore, a long-standing critic of the ruling establishment who ran under the African Action Congress (AAC) banner in 2023, warned that state authorities were playing a dangerous game.
”I strongly condemn these acts of political brigandage by agents of the state government and the Tinubu regime,” Mr. Sowore stated on Tuesday.
“No candidate should be prevented through violence, intimidation or state-sponsored thuggery from campaigning freely anywhere in Nigeria.
Those behind these cowardly attacks are toying with fire and threatening the democratic rights of all Nigerians.”
He added: “They must desist immediately before it is too late.”
Context & Deep Political Friction
The statement marks a rare defense of Mr. Obi by Mr. Sowore. Despite both positioning themselves as alternative options to Nigeria’s traditional political elite, the two opposition figures have frequently traded sharp criticisms in recent months over political ideology, transparency, and strategy ahead of the upcoming electoral cycle.
Political violence and the intimidation of opposition figures remain persistent challenges across Nigeria’s political landscape.
As campaigning intensifies, opposition parties have increasingly accused state governors and security officials tied to President Bola Tinubu’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of restricting access to public venues, enforcing arbitrary transit blockades, and deploying local vigilante groups to disrupt opposition rallies.
Neither the federal government nor the targeted state administration has formally verified state involvement in Tuesday’s blockade, though opposition leaders insist that local authorities routinely weaponize security apparatuses to suppress rival candidates.
