Says he will lead movement to change political power in Nigeria
Chinedu Eze
Thousands of youths on Tuesday thronged the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos to welcome the publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, who declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2019.
To confirm his intention, Sowore who arrived aboard Delta Air Lines flight by 2:30p.m. told journalists that he arrived in Nigeria to lead a movement to change power in the country, insisting that it is over for the old people in Nigerian politics.
“I am coming from New York and I just arrived in Nigeria to lead a movement to change power in the country. So the movement is probably the people you saw outside. They are some of the movement members and I am here to undertake a series of rallies, town hall meetings and consultations across Nigeria. It is over for the old people. It is over for the cabal and the mafia that have been running Nigeria down. That is what I am here to do. This is going to go on till 2019. There is no going back,†Sowore told journalists.
When asked why he decided to run for the country’s biggest office, the SaharaReporters publisher said: “I have been doing activism for over 30 years. I have never done something less than the national politics. So there is no less position. The position that is most important to Nigerians is the position of president and I am more than qualified. I told you many times I can run Nigeria better that President Muhammadu Buhari, even in my sleep. So there is no need going to become a local government councilor or senator when I can run the country as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.â€
He dismissed the allegation that he was being sponsored for the race, saying: “Those allegations are baseless. As you know, I am a well-known reporter. I report with hard facts. I don’t report based on allegations. I am the most transparent candidate and I am raising my funds online. So there is no truth in that.â€
The thousands of youths who came to welcome him at the airport arrived with over 20 buses and wore t-shirts with Sowore’s face emblazoned on them and carrying placards with his pictures aloft.
They sang songs that the time of the old people’s dominance of Nigerian politics has ended-that Buhari should go and rest.
As they moved towards the front of the arrival area of the terminal, security operatives attempted to stop them but they could not control the surging crowd but the security personnel managed to keep them before the exit gate of the arrival hall.
Tumultuous shouts of excitement welcomed Sowore when he came outside from the arrival hall and he waved and thanked his supporters who were largely youths and was later whisked into an a SUV as overzealous boys moved to hail and encircle him.
