The Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly (NEYGA) has called on Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, to publicly address allegations that he received foreign funding to destabilise Nigeria.
The group’s demand came on the heels of a protest held by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, during which demonstrators petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to probe the activist over the alleged plot.
In a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Mallam Ibrahim Dan-Musa, NEYGA said the seriousness of the claims made against Sowore could not be ignored or dismissed.
The group noted that similar accusations have surfaced against Sowore on previous occasions and expressed concern that he had not responded publicly.
“This is not the first time such serious allegations against Sowore are resurfacing. The persistence of these claims demands sober reflection. It is shocking and unacceptable that Sowore, who is known for reacting swiftly to every national issue, has chosen to keep quiet over an allegation of this magnitude,” Dan-Musa said.
NEYGA argued that Sowore, as a prominent voice for transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s political space, has an obligation to hold himself to the same standard he sets for public officials.
“Sowore should not behave like a dictator who believes he is above public scrutiny. By turning a deaf ear to these allegations, he is undermining the very principle of accountability that he always demands from public officers. He must come out clean,” the statement added.
Beyond addressing Sowore directly, NEYGA called on relevant security bodies to fulfil their constitutional mandate by conducting a thorough investigation into the claims, saying such action was necessary to protect the peace and stability of the country.
Sowore had not issued any public response to the allegations at the time the demands were made.
(The Sun)