By Opeyemi Adelakun
African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Department of State Services of discriminatory treatment during the signing of the 2027 Presidential Peace Accord.
Sowore made the allegation in a post on his verified X account on Wednesday, claiming that DSS operatives stopped him at the entrance to the National Peace Committee event.
According to the human rights activist, a DSS operative demanded to see his invitation letter, despite later acknowledging that he was aware Sowore was one of the presidential candidates participating in the 2027 election.
Sowore alleged that another presidential candidate arrived shortly afterwards in a large convoy and was allowed into the venue without undergoing what he described as similar harassment.
He further claimed that security officials initially prevented him from entering with members of his staff and subsequently told him that his camera crew would not be allowed into the venue.
The AAC candidate criticised what he described as a culture of intimidation and class discrimination within Nigeria’s security agencies, arguing that individuals should not be treated differently based on their wealth or political status.
He said the incident was particularly troubling because it occurred at an event designed to promote peaceful and credible elections.
Sowore said all presidential candidates should be treated with equal dignity and respect, regardless of the number of vehicles or security personnel accompanying them.
“If this is supposed to be a peace accord involving presidential candidates, then every candidate must be treated with equal dignity and respect,” he said.
He added that candidates should not be judged according to “the size of their convoy, the number of security vehicles around them, or how much privilege they display.”
Sowore said he resisted the alleged discriminatory treatment and insisted on his rights rather than submitting to what he considered an arbitrary security procedure.
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