‘Criminal comment’- Sowore will soon meet those that won’t handle him gently like Tinubu – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has rebuked activist and former African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over remarks in which he labelled President Bola Tinubu a “criminal.”

Sowore, in an August 25 post on X, had written:“This criminal @officialpbat actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”

The Department of State Services subsequently filed criminal charges against Sowore, accusing him of defamation and alleging that his comments violated provisions of the Cybercrimes and Terrorism Prevention laws. The agency also asked Meta and X to delete the post, describing it as a threat to public order and national security.

Sowore refused to take down the post, saying the DSS was bent on silencing opposing voices. He condemned the agency’s actions as “despicable.”

Speaking on Thursday at the flag-off of the Arterial Road N1 construction in Wuye, Wike said Sowore should count himself fortunate that President Tinubu values due process.

“This is a country where somebody on social media will say Mr President is a criminal; nothing will happen. You say all kinds of things you want to say, but nothing will happen.

“No matter how you see people criticise Trump, have you ever seen any American citizen on social media, or in the public, say our President is a criminal? Have you heard that?

“But here, anybody can wake up in the morning and abuse the President, and we are happy. You are lucky you have a President who believes in the rule of law. You are lucky. Continue to be lucky. There are those you will meet that you won’t be lucky again,” Wike said.