Against the backdrop of fear of possible return to power by the Nigerian military, human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has said that the fear of public protests has always kept the Nigerian military under control and deter them from seizing power.
Speaking on the MIC On Podcast on Saturday, Sowore declared his opposition to military rule, stressing that he would never support or participate in any protest that could pave the way for the military to return to power.
“I am opposed to military rule. I will never partake in a protest that allows the military to come to power in this country,” Sowore said.
He, however, criticised what he described as the “excesses of civilians” currently in government, accusing them of mismanaging the nation’s economy and democratic rights under the guise of preventing military intervention.
“But I also do not overlook the excesses of civilians who are here, those mismanaging their rights, the economy, their dignity, just because somebody says, ‘Oh, if you do that, the military will take over power,’” he stated.
According to him, coups in Nigeria’s history were never triggered by civilian protests but by deliberate plans and executions within the military.
“All the times the military has taken over power in Nigeria, it wasn’t because of protests; it was because they planned it and executed it,” Sowore explained.
“In fact, it is the fear of protest that has driven the military out of power. It is the fear of protest that has always kept the military under control—or when they are confronted with protest,” he added.
Recall that Sowore had begun mobilisation for what he described as a peaceful protest against the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), slated for October 20.
