He regretted that Sowore’s worst disadvantage had been, strangely, what ought to make him the favourite of the people—his idealism.
An Abuja-based public affairs analyst, Gimba Kakanda, has commended the doggedness of the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore, saying the human rights activist’s refusal to acknowledge politics as a morally-conflicting enterprise is good for the people of Nigeria.
Kakanda stated this in an article which was titled: "Sowore: The Last Of The Radicals", adding that Nigerians should appreciate the AAC presidential flag-bearer for his resilience and consistency in his beliefs.
He warned that laughing at his struggle for a better Nigeria "is finding our misery funny."
He wrote, “He aspires to be the opposite of those who visit the hilltop residences of our political influencers and kingmakers to kiss the ring, and, while history may favour him and remember him fondly, his proximity to the seat of power widens each time he roars against those his supporters perceive as the devils.”
“A segment of Peter Obi’s supporters rooted for Sowore in his 2019 presidential bid, and they’ve registered their objections to Obi’s visits to the former presidents they vilify fiercely, aligning with Sowore’s thoughts.
"But the difference between Sowore and Obi is that the latter is a thoroughbred politician. As a former governor, one who has won elections and fought hard to protect his mandates, he knows the system too well to realise that mere endorsement by the people isn’t enough.
"There’s a victory that may await Sowore, though. His politics may be valorised as a breakthrough of a candidate independent of the establishment if he escapes career-wrecking scandals in doing so. This could be his victory against the elite whose consensuses have long been our only solutions. We must make our politics practicable for all. Sowore should be scrutinised and judged fairly, a tradition with which he’s of course familiar. But laughing at his bid is finding our misery funny."
He regretted that Sowore’s worst disadvantage had been, strangely, what ought to make him the favourite of the people—his idealism.
"He’s refused to be the kind of politician who excels in our clime, the ones that form alliances with even their worst enemies and critics to reach their political height.
"This idealistic proclivity must’ve sabotaged his politics, but it’s laudable. For so long our politics was defined as a no-go area for citizens unwilling to roll in the mud or kowtow to self-appointed kingmakers ruling from palaces that should never have existed, from Minna to Ota. While firebrands like Aminu Kano were given a chance to at least think for a government they failed in their bid to lead, others like Gani Fawehinmi were betrayed by the very masses they spent their lives fighting for, ending up in jails in their pursuits of justice."