Sowore: I don’t need endorsement from people who ruined Nigeria

Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), says he would rather have the endorsement of the Nigerian people over that of “people who have ruined Nigeria”.

The Sahara Reporters publisher spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Thursday.

On January 1, former President Olusegun Obasanjo endorsed Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), saying he “possesses the qualities of a leader who will be a true president of this country by guaranteeing justice, equity and fairness for all Nigerians”.

Two days later, Edwin Clark, an Ijaw national leader and convener of PANDEF, also endorsed Obi.

Reacting to the spate of endorsements, Sowore said he needs “alliances” of Nigerians and not recognition from past leaders of the country.

Sowore added that he would never visit the homes of former leaders to beg for recognition.

“I’m interested in alliances. People can endorse without having to denigrate themselves,” the AAC presidential candidate said.

“But, my own position in this particular case is that I don’t need the endorsement of people who have ruined Nigeria. I am very clear about that. I am not going to the home of a former president who destroyed this country to say, ‘hey, please endorse me so that I can be like you’.

“The kind of endorsement I want is from the people who decide who their leaders should be.

“People who are on the departure lounge of life, technically, should not be dictating the future of young people.”