Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has stated that he would have taken legal action against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if his name had appeared on the list of national award recipients announced on June 12.
Sowore made the declaration in a strongly worded post on social media on Thursday afternoon, in reaction to the Democracy Day national honours conferred by President Tinubu at the joint session of the National Assembly.
During his Democracy Day address on Thursday, June 12, President Tinubu bestowed national honours on select Nigerians, whom he described as “heroes of June 12″—individuals who played key roles in the struggle for the actualization of the 1993 presidential mandate of Chief MKO Abiola. Among the honorees were notable figures who had contributed significantly to Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement.
Prominent among those recognized were Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and retired General Alani Akinrinade, both of whom were awarded the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Others who received the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) honour include renowned civil rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, veteran journalist Dare Babarinsa, academic and politician Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, former lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani, and Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani.
Reacting to the development, Sowore declared that he would have not only rejected the award but would also have sued President Tinubu for defamation had his name been included. He argued that accepting such a recognition from the current administration would amount to an endorsement of what he describes as a corrupt and authoritarian regime.
“If I were mistakenly included by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his “National Award” list, I would not only reject and denounce the award but also take definitive legal action for defamation,” Sowore said, emphasizing that he remains firmly opposed to what he sees as a betrayal of democratic ideals by the present government.
Sowore, a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration and a longtime advocate for radical reforms in governance, has consistently distanced himself from state-sponsored accolades, asserting that such awards often serve political purposes rather than genuine recognition of service or sacrifice.