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African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has rejected deception as a way to secure votes, saying Nigerians should consider electing politicians who make realistic, measurable promises.
Sowore made the remarks while speaking on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Tuesday, arguing that Nigerian politics is often driven by attempts to manipulate voters and inflate electoral numbers.
“The very definition of politics in Nigeria, we’re talking about Nigeria now, it’s the game of deception, not numbers,” he said.
“And that is why that deception translates to numbers. An average politician in Nigeria is trying to get the numbers that they typically cannot get by deceiving people and also by, of course, inflating or finding ways to forge numbers.”
Sowore said he was not interested in winning politicians’ affection or presenting himself to voters as someone he was not.
“But I honestly do not crave to be loved by politicians. That’s the problem that some people seem to have with me. I also do not intend to deceive you, to make you believe that I’m who I am not,” he said.
He acknowledged that winning elections requires securing votes but argued that making unrealistic promises simply to gain popularity could ultimately leave voters disappointed.
“So one of the things, but if I say sweet things to you, and you vote for me, and you discover that I’m not who you voted for, you’re going to hate me,” he said.
Sowore said his approach would be to present voters with concrete plans and let them decide whether to support him.
“But see, what is important is that you want a society that works. Elect people who make them work.”
The AAC presidential candidate said voters should be wary of politicians who make extravagant promises during election campaigns but fail to deliver once elected. Sowore said that, if elected president, he would focus on setting clear targets that Nigerians could measure.
“I want to be the president of Nigeria that says, I am going to construct roads from point A to point B. And by two years, it will be there,” he said.
He contrasted that approach with what he described as extravagant campaign promises that voters know are unlikely to be fulfilled.
“If you then opt to vote for a guy who says to you that he’s not only going to give you health centres, he’s going to give you health centres that he’ll provide helicopters that will take you to, you know, you know that he can’t provide it, and you vote for him,” he said.
“The definition of politics in Nigeria: it’s the game of deception, not numbers.”
Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, says Nigerians should choose leaders based on realistic promises and proven ability, not political deception. pic.twitter.com/lvtE4f1M9O
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) September 1, 2026
