“I’ve always had this theory about democracy, especially in the Nigerian setting. When Nigeria’s democracy started or re-started in 1999, and helped to oversee a period when democracy was consolidated first by removing a strongman who wanted to continue in office in 2007, it helped to broaden the democratic space to the extent that the minority was able to emerge as president. We also got to a point where we were able to midwife a party-to-party transition and the next level is a generational change and I want to see that that is possible in my lifetime," he said.
Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has said unless people with good intentions, exposure, and experience get involved in Nigeria's politics, the country will not make the needed rapid progress.
Sowore stated this in an interview with renowned journalist and content creator, Rukiat Faith Abudu Akinridibo of 'Updates With Ruki'.
Responding to her question on his inspiration to join politics in spite of his success in the media, Sowore said: “I’ve always had this theory about democracy, especially in the Nigerian setting. When Nigeria’s democracy started or re-started in 1999, and helped to oversee a period when democracy was consolidated first by removing a strongman who wanted to continue in office in 2007, it helped to broaden the democratic space to the extent that the minority was able to emerge as president.
"We also got to a point where we were able to midwife a party-to-party transition and the next level is a generational change and I want to see that that is possible in my lifetime."
He added that missing at all the stages were people who had “character, capacity, exposure, integrity handling Nigeria at those crucial stages”.
“Before now, we’ve left it with incompetent people; people who are sentimentally attached to religion and tribe; people who have very shady backgrounds; people with political and military baggage. This is the time for real people to handle Nigeria’s march into the future," he said.
Referring to himself as the top man for the number one office in Nigeria with his #TakeItBack movement and AAC Party, Sowore said: “I have always been in the middle of political happenings in Nigeria and over the years, I have studied Nigeria. I have been around it for 30 years and I have been a participant in all that has shaped politics in those years, starting from when I was a student activist at the University of Lagos.
"We have our unique spaces where we operate; we have unique populations that we talk to; we have unique people who are following us. In fact, more and more have joined us. We are seeing a lot of progress, engagement and participation especially from young people."