Meta, the parent company of social media giant Facebook, has deactivated the account of Nigerian human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore. The development comes in the wake of a public spat between Sowore and former presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.
A check on Facebook shows that Sowore’s verified account is no longer accessible on the platform. This follows a series of controversial posts and verbal attacks launched by Sowore against Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
The tension between the two political figures heightened after Sahara Reporters, a media outfit founded by Sowore, published a report alleging that Peter Obi had secretly met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rome, supposedly to discuss a ₦225 billion debt linked to Fidelity Bank, where Obi once served as chairman. Obi, however, swiftly denied the claims, clarifying that his encounter with Tinubu was nothing more than a courtesy exchange during a public event at the Vatican.
Sowore responded by doubling down on his accusations, referring to Obi as a “Money Launderer-In-Chief,” a label he said was informed by findings in the Pandora Papers leak, which previously exposed Obi’s alleged offshore financial dealings.
The back-and-forth exchanges quickly went viral, drawing the attention of social media users and political observers. However, the situation took a new turn when Sowore’s Facebook account was found to have been deactivated by the platform, prompting reactions from his followers and supporters.
One of his supporters, Emmanuel Larry, took to social media to appeal to Meta for the immediate restoration of Sowore’s account. In his message to the platform, he described Sowore as a “prominent Nigerian human rights advocate” whose voice is essential to democratic engagement in the country. He warned against what he termed “politically motivated censorship.”
As of the time of filing this report, Meta has not released an official statement explaining the reason for the deactivation. Nonetheless, the development has sparked widespread concern about censorship, free speech, and the influence of political pressure on global tech platforms operating in Nigeria.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate and publisher of investigative news outlet Sahara Reporters, is known for his critical stance on governance and political elites in Nigeria. His deactivation from Facebook is seen by many as a significant development in the digital political space, especially as the country continues to grapple with issues of media freedom and responsible digital engagement.
The public awaits clarification from Meta, even as conversations around accountability, free speech, and political tolerance dominate both social and traditional media.
