The Sowore/Magashi 2027 Presidential Campaign has responded to comments by the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, describing African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore as a “voice of conscience” while expressing uncertainty over whether he is running for office.
Duke made the remarks during an interview on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, where he said he was “not sure Sowore is running for office” but acknowledged that the AAC candidate speaks on issues that some politicians may avoid discussing because of political civility.
Reacting in a statement on Sunday, the campaign’s spokesperson, Rex I. Elanu, said Duke’s description of Sowore as a “voice of conscience” should also lead to recognition of his presidential ambition.
Elanu argued that if Duke believes Sowore speaks truths that other politicians are unwilling to express, he should also recognise Sowore as a candidate seeking to translate those convictions into governance.
According to him, Sowore is not contesting merely to occupy Aso Rock or replace President Bola Tinubu, but to challenge what the campaign describes as the political system responsible for persistent poverty, insecurity, corruption, inequality and underdevelopment.
“The struggle to Liberate Nigeria is not simply about removing Bola Tinubu or the APC Party and handing power back to the same political establishment under a different name,” Elanu said.
He said the AAC campaign was seeking a political system based on justice, equality, accountability, social and economic rights and greater democratic participation.
Elanu also rejected the idea that Sowore and the AAC would join an opposition coalition solely to produce a single candidate against Tinubu.
He said the campaign’s preferred coalition was one involving workers, students, farmers, traders, artisans, unemployed young people, women, pensioners, professionals, persons with disabilities and other Nigerians affected by what it described as failures of the political system.
Duke had similarly argued that opposition cooperation should not be based solely on defeating the incumbent, saying the opposition should first agree on where it wants to take Nigeria and who is best suited to achieve that objective.
Elanu said the central question should therefore be about the political vision and programme each candidate represents, rather than simply who can defeat the incumbent.
He further maintained that Sowore is seeking to become “the people’s President” rather than remain only a voice of criticism.
“Sowore is running. AAC is running. And we are running not merely to change the occupant of Aso Rock, but to Liberate Nigeria,” Elanu said.
Sowore is listed as the AAC presidential candidate for the 2027 election, while Duke is listed as the PRP candidate.
