Omoyele Sowore, the convener of RevolutionNow, has criticized the Nigerian justice system for exonerating wealthy politicians who steal public funds while prosecuting petty thieves.
Sowore emphasized that this discrepancy is why he opposes the death penalty in Nigeria, arguing that it disproportionately targets minor offenders while allowing corrupt politicians to evade justice.
Reacting to a recent Ekiti State High Court judgment in Ado Ekiti, which sentenced three individuals to death by hanging for carjacking, Sowore pointed out the injustice. The convicts, Akingbade David, Michael Mayowa, and Ibrahim Mukaila, were charged with armed robbery and conspiracy for robbing Gbenga Ajayi of his Toyota Corolla at gunpoint on March 1, 2019.
Sowore contrasted this harsh sentence with a court order stopping the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi for alleged corruption and money laundering involving billions of Naira. He lamented that both Fayemi and another former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose, who is on trial for N6.9 billion fraud, are unlikely to face severe penalties.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Sowore wrote, "Unbelievable! Two former governors of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and Kayode Fayemi, stole billions of naira from the state's coffers. Fayose is undergoing trial for ₦6.9 billion fraud and money laundering, but I could bet he won't get a jail term, let alone the death penalty. Fayemi even got a court order to stop the EFCC from probing him, but the Nigerian justice system is to hang two persons for stealing a car? This is why I will never support the death penalty; it is meant for petty thieves! #Notodeathpenalty."
In Nigeria, it is common for minor criminals to receive harsh sentences, including life imprisonment or the death penalty, while politicians who embezzle large sums often escape accountability.
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