‘scour 4S TRANSCRIPT OF AN INTERVIEW WITH SOWORE STEPHEN OMOYELE on 6" august, 2019 DURATION + 1 NOUR, 42 wrNUNEs 47 SECONDS Sowore = Dest pest - Sowore - ssa Lawyer pss 1 dem, the timo now iz about hms, how many minutes to seven (7) oclock? lim thirteen (13) minutes to, to seven (7) Ovclock and this is the DSS tational Headquarters and I’m sure Mr Sovore Stephen Onoyele, you're avare of where you are at the moment, right? ‘That's correct. Okay now, we, vo, we, the Service arrested you because of your planned revolution and we are here, we are here to ask you certain questions, to have a conversation vith you. We have questions for you. = want to tell you that you are not obliged to ay anything except you wish to do 20. But whatever it is what you say, you ses, is being recordea in the Presence of your lawyer and at the ond of the day, we will also request you to make written statement after, four conversation with you, and it could be used ia evidence. Are you ok with thie? Have you Imm een shown ay Lawyer the detention and arrest een warrant oF a detention order at this point? Okay its, coe he not with our legal department, ZX don’t know if in the course of his meeting with them he asked the sane question. T am asking, 1’m asking you too ‘Then T now ask the Lawyer aia you, did you ack of the Getention order? Okay, you aidn’e at a2 Yeah Okay, $0 may bo when ws are dons, okay, Page 1of 64sonore esi Sowore sovare es2 pss Sowore ssi Sowore pes 1 ssa Ayer DMOete Sobre secner* you can sort it out, he can sort it out with the legal Gepartment, but there i a detention order already. okay Okay, S£ you want after then you can confiza fron the egal department, they will get him through the Process, so are you okay for us to continue? Xam Uman, My colleague here Se Moses, oxay And T an Honsur. My name is John. Sans. You ali have last names apparently. Yeah I am Usman Usnan, so ee Like x said, we'll be asking you questions and our, our, our advise is, be! truthful to the best of your knowledge. We'll not force you to say anything. whatever question we ask and you Rave a problem with or you don’t have an answer to it, or you don’t want to anawer us, there is no compuision, you simply tell us you're not going to fanever these questions. So we'll just want to proceed by asking, in the course of your being here, ha: anybody molested you in any way oF maltreated you? Byes. My understanding is that the DSS is one and only body from where I was arrested to this point oxay. So, T was abducted in the middie of the night, Page 2 of secre” 12/0420 IGpest pest Sowore sowore ssi pest Sowore secret” okay, Be taken to one of your facilities in Lagos, X was beaten up, rough handled on ay way to the facility in the car, okay. and my cousin vio was in the room with me was also beatened and handcuffed, and ee my properties were forcefully seized, and when 1 got there, of course, com the maltreatment continued, they threw me ona cold floor and I had no contact with even the guards for two (2) nights, ee T was in that facility before I was flown here by your agents. ony. 0 1 vas seriously malpreated, anybody denied you food? Wnile in your faciiity in Lagos Yee, but I decided that because of their hostility I won't take any food okay, but since here, has anybody denied you food? x continued to refuse food, until 1 was alloved to speak with a lawyer, and ae soon as I was allowed to talk toa lawyer, Since the day 1 as arrested, = Page sot 64 secnsowoge ssa : Sowore C4a«< ssecner” okay, you refused food since the day you were arrested, and you continued, But we have allowed you food from outside right? So far yes okay and you have seen your Lawyer ae requested. E have seen ay Lawyer, onay. but 1 an still being denied access to my immediate family. And you've made calle to your fanily sienbers? Tive not made any calls to then, My brother te outside; he wasn't allowed to eee me as we speak okay, it’s okay, I will, 1 will, 1 will sort that out but Z, 1 understand you, you, you mage a call the made any call to my family members, 1 only made calls to people I renenber their number to bring me food and ask then to call my brother. My brother cane in today, okay. But _he was denied access to me, 20 T haven't been able to see him and as @ recult epeak with my mum; and my wife and hide: 80, 1 will get back to your brother and know what ie is. But T am aot avare you've been denied such privileges, of course for the one you've talked about talking to your lawyer, innediately you know I handed the matter, T said, you said you're not going to do your interview until you aaw the lawyer and now you have your lawyer present with us, now let's go for. for the records and now can you tell uo about yourself. ‘Aaan sy name is Onoyele sovore okey. Page $f 64 Bee secReT* DMIOIETE Sor s0RE Kelogs 1gssi ssi ssi pest pest sowore pest sowore Sowore That's my name okay. What else do you want to know? Your date of birth. Twas born on 16!" February, 1971. 2971 where? 1 was born in Eee-odo Local Government Area of Ondo tthe mane of your parents, David Sowore and my mun is Esther sowore Your sus is Esther sovore, You say a brother of yours came here today? that'a right what i2 bis name? okay, what tine did he cone? Ie/s just a few minutes ago. Few minuts ago? Yes, he’s probably still within the premises, 1 mean outéide the gate as we speak. Okay, was he one of the one that brought food to you. He acconpanied the people that brought: food. He accompanied then, okay enm, now tell us about your fanily history, particularly oon marital life. Are you Page Sof 64 oeSowore pes Sowore Chae ‘seer “secre Tan married, yes okay, your wite’s nane. em sep Olubumi Sowore She's based in the US at this point okay she’s based in the Us That'e correct. Okay, and do you have children with hex? How many chitdren? ‘two (2) that T know of ‘Two (2) that Hman-hnm the others you don't know? He's not impossible. My dad used to say some Kids you ay never know? okay just the two (2) you know of, 20 what are thets one is ee Kiribo, the boy, he'e the younger and the eldest Le ee Onotone. omay, they Live with you? here? In the US. okay in the US, do you have a house in Nigeria? 1 @o in my village In your village? okay, where ie your village? Kiribo, Ese-odo Local Government Arss of Ondo state. Of ondo state? Page 6 of 6 OMoueTE SOvseME 21049 (20lFsowore secret” Then, apart from the one you have in the village; do you have a house anywhere in, no im Migeria? whether rented? you don’t have any? Except if it io office related, ‘and that T cannot consider ay private space. okay, now aa aa tell me about your, your educational background. attended primary school in my nome tows. sim whore? Actually T attended, 1 wae home schooled by ny father omy. | 1 As T travelled with him ae a teacher, om But ee then started officially in ay hone town in Local Authority Prinary School, Kiribo from there 7 From what year to what year? May be about 1976 to 1990, spent only four (4) years in primary school, 1 was pronoted, I had double promotion to high school, okay. in 1980 and eo che high achool was 1ike Community #igh School Kiribo, Page 7 of 6 secre”“seca ssi ~ okay, you finished from there ec, Sowore -«T_finished fron there and proceeded to another Secondary school where I spent two (2) years and T did WAEC again at Ofedepe Granmar School in Orivipupa, also in, ee T thing in Okitipupa Local Government now Sf 1 romonber correctly. oe ee seers -_Geogarhy an planing bens = oegrepty an Hannagt ee Sowore, - $0 after that ‘obtained a Masters Degree in Public oe ee ote — Cmeviete Coven 2 [onigelaSowore Sowers Sowore sovore sowore “secre” Okay, okay, now, now since them where have you worked? mheze and where have you worked? Places you worked. ‘hen T finished econ at the Univeraity of Lagos after NYSC, 1 worked briefly as an organizing Secretary for the DA, the Desceratic Alternative it use to be a political party, one of the first political parties: but then it was a Civil Society Organization, it was a pro democracy organization #5, vans. After that, I left to the US. okey. Ho in the US I did ali kinds of jobs. Like what sort of jobs? You know com, 1 worked as a refugee resettlonent okay. and then after that, I also worked as a manager for catholic charity it’s aleo for refugee resettlement. okay. Before I proceeded to start Sahara Reporters, nay ' In 2006. onay. So I worked at Sahara Reporter till 2008 or there about and then ee I got een part-tine job az a University lecturer. mma, Which Universtey? At school of, the School of Vieual Arta in New York City and also what used to be known as Brooklyn Polytechnic, it's now city university of New York. nay liere I taught ee Post ee, Post Colonial african History in those two (2) Schools, Yeah Page 9 of 6 secner*“secner Dsst_ = —=—Okay, go from what time to what time aid you work in that niversiey? Sowore = T'm still working; I still work at Virtual Arts as a part-time lecturer, the School of ‘They call us adjunct Professors, I think is equal to, it’s part- tie P51 = Adjunct Professors. Sowore Because it’s part-time, #0 T teach only one class from Septanber to December every year pest = Okay. Sowore = So at Sahara Reporters, 1 continued as publisher until ee ee sowre = when I xen for presidency, 1 haven’t fully gone back there ssi = Okay, now you started sahara Reporters right? sowre = Yes Desi re dt registered? Sowore = rt’ yess it’s egistered in the Us. pes == sm the us? Sovore - As Sahara Reporters wedia Group. Te ie registered in the City, T mean in the State of New York. Tt is a legal entity cen, in the State of New York. ssi = Okay no sort of registration in wigeria, Sovore = No there is ee Sahara Reporters Media Nigeria ssi = Okay Se Le registered? Sovore = Tt is registered, yes with the cac. ssi = wien ene cacr Sowore = Yes. ssi = Sahara Reporters Media Foundation. Sowore es. oo secrer” OM bETE Sous nee 12/64 Aa14 right? Foundation tn Page 10 of 64Sowore - pss2 a pss2 - pss2 - Sowore ~ GL Ce “Cmte Sowme “secrete Okay, Mow, who are the menbers of the Board of Directors of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation? T am one of them and one of eee, also menbers is ecm Temitope ee omiyide, we are the two (2) een players of the group. Do you mind i¢ T continue? Yeah, go ahead. Ok een two (2) of you, are there only two (2) meabers Yes, at this point, it’s less than a year, it’s about two (2) years old self. wo (2) years ola? S80 anytht felso on the personal level? Maan except you tell me your interest, that’s pretty much my Life ee in a nutshell onay, travel. ‘Travels. oak Extensively, ¢@ it’s travelled from Nigeria since ee 1 think ee 1999; I left Nigeria in 1999 and travelled to the US. First I travel in 1999 to Belgium for a conference fro there I went to the US and stayed, T've been in the US ever since 1999, I’ve spent twenty (20) years there. what are the other countzies... Be I've been to # lot of countries Ghana, South Africa, I've been to spain, ttaly, r’ve been to Australia, T've been in austria, I've been in United Kingdom, Ireland, I’ve been in a bunch of a Caribbean countries, T've been in Jamaica, Denocratic Republic of Dominica, ee 1've been in Canada, i've been in ee Lot of countries, like Kenya, yes. Do you have any particular criteria for chosen where you vieie? Page. of “secrer” 2) OF POIFSowore - Sowore = - esa 7 Sowora Severe pest - Sowers Sovore Got secre” No ee except during the election, I ee chose where Wigerians are flash communities of the diaspora, am yes. But beyond that, I mostly travelled for conferences that I was invited to, because 1 was a speaker for Amnesty International for long time, and so they invite me to conferences, 1 speak on environmental issues, they invite me for conferences, Guring elections, I travel to where I an invited by the Diaspora, 1 campaigned, everywhere, almost everywhere. And I’ve also been to thirty-cour (34) States in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital ‘rerritory Okay, Now so thirty four (34) states in wigerta, you've alnost covered Nigeria. Yes 1 have at this point left with sorno. T have actually passed through Yobe before, okay. But never really, T cannot count Yobe because T never really stayed there, but I've driven through Yobe before. So which i the other one that you @idn’t go? Be T haven't been to Ebony! meonyit : S50 why @ida’t you go to Rornot Bony’? Borne, Borne Why T didn't go to Borno, lihich is ee, I couldn't find flights during the tine Wwe wanted to go there, before they went, they sald it was not safe to travel by road, T didn't want to endanger the lives of our campaign committee menbers Okay, £0 meaning those tripe were campaign related. Pageant 6a DAMETLE Sowoce EET 12 (GGssa sonore ssa pest sonore ssa ssi Sowore ssi sovare esi Sowore Sowore esa sonore ssi dope secre” A lot of the trips to the thirty-four (34) states were campaign related in mass two and a half (2/,) years, that’s correct. Okay, now who aze your closest associates in Nigeria? I do not know because, I have mostly associated with people who are based out of Nigeria. okay. Yes, they are Nigerians too oxay. But at hone, 1 just have had friends over this years, wwe wore in pro-denocracy groups together tke? one of then being Femi Falana who used to be my lawyer, onisa Agbakoba. son. Wole Soyinka. on. Ayo obe. ' ' ton. Bon ce T have een Yako Fabeyi, Olusegun Mayegun who used to be MANS president. mn. lihen ee he was alive we used to be close with samidele Aturo. So these are some of them, and in recent years, say be, Student unions leaders I mest in the course of campaigning oray. Page 13 of 64 secret” bmowele Sowore 2 [09/2014secre Dis 1 Okay, what about outside, outside, outside Nigeria? sovore Be eeople in the diaspora, I've been in close contact, with ee may be leaders of Amnesty internation), pest =n Sowore = Committee to protect journalist who work together, edia contacts Dost = in, Okay now, which clubs or societies do you belong Sovore = Tam not in any club, except Amnesty International Dsl = ~—sAmesty International? peel Okay Sowore = That 1 the only one Z know 1'm officially registered wit, pest okay, you are officially registered with. Desi What of political parties? swore 3 founded the pest You are affiliated with ox? Sowore -_—T founded the African Action Congress in August last year Dest = Agua last year, Sovre = And I also van under the platform of the party as the presidential candidate Dost = ~—Okay, now for the, for the, for the party, what waz your primary manifesto? Sowore = at called SPAKSANTT Ce sonore Based on Security, Power, ee Security, Infrastructure, anti-corruption ec, economy aah it's been 4 while now Psst 80, you formed a paewmonic around it, a Page 14 of oy te “secur QPF AOD ne ae = SON OmMomele S 52/4124ssi ssi Sowore esi ssi ssa sonore ‘ssa Somers Somore esa Sowore ssi a Omouet *secrer Spaisa vhat you said? SPATSAHET, SPAISARIT Yes. you know wealth, Rducatien, agriculture, Technology and Tourism, you know, I think R is restructuring okay, 5 was restructuring? Okay, mow aid your party win any olection at all? We didn’t believe that any election held in this last election, so we don’t even talk about winning or losing elections: What 1 am asking is whether, x/m not asking whether you believe any election held, i'm just telling you that eee 50 ‘here any winner from your party at any Level. No that T know of 50 if there is, you should know of course. ‘That's what I’m telling you. So there was none really, so now ee when you founded that politica! party what, what was your ambition? What was your drean? E wanted a political party that could change the way Nigeria politically is run. and eee help, I wanted to be the president of nigeria and change Nigeria forever. ony. By. By winning the election, By winning the election. Page 15 of 64 SECRET” Scwomee 2/04 [20/4ssi - ssi - sowore ssi - Sowore - ssi - Sovore - ssi - Sowore - Lee = drove “secre” Yes, bat unfortunately no election was held in my oxy. what 1 saw, it as an act of aggression against the Nigerian people. How? Well in my village, soldiers followed me there, and you mow, prevented people from voting, and they carted away ballot boxes, shot at the drone that I was using to monitor the election, a cbn drone. ma, Seized it and till today, they have the possession of it so that we could not prove that there tried to rig the election én that place. and that was what was widespread in the 2019 election. oxay. Across the country Soldiers shot down the drone? pia you have tho permission to use the drone? 4am it does not require, are you asking me if, whether they shot down the drone or the permission to use it? Yeah, they shot down the drone you sald, but was there the permission for you to use that drone? 3 have @ drone that I brought in officially, so they How was it brought in officiatty? ‘Through the aixport. ‘Through the airport? Yes, and I showed it to them that it was a drone, and took it to them, And you had, you had the requisite permission to fly ‘tho dzone? 3 don't know Sf you need a permission to fly @ drone "hat is not going beyond eight (8) meter above ground. Page 16 of 6 *secrer” be Sonor 1204 /201¢Fesa . sovore - ssi - pest - ssi : esa - Sowore ~ ssi . Sovore = Hn Dmoyele Sowsrce secre” okay. Yeah T didn't have any information to that effect. INBC was aware of it. oray. And s0 1, 1 don't have that information. onay. ‘okay, Now ech lately you've been on, on social media canpaigns for revolution and the rest of them right? And you made several statenents regarding revolution, ZX want us to, Z want you to, to. speak to us about that your revolution and ean the planned revolution. What exactly do you want to know about it? Everything about it. Tes eee, it was our party, that’s the AAC met and ece we decided that the level of engagenent to change Nigeria will require a higher level of resistance Rosiotance? Yes, against the authorities, peaceful resistance. okay. . and that we gathered, discussed and everything we seid is what is wrong about Wigeria that has to be fixed. and we put it out, that’s how you found out, because Ae was not hidden and we tagged it revolution now. Revolution Now? Yes, and we had a bunch of demands and we also nade Public about how the country is being run. And we campaigned, spoke on TV, put it on social media 0 that everybody could see and we chose a date August: 5 that people could engage in peaceful protest across Nigeria. okey. age 1 of 68 “secner® be [04 (20l¢Somore ssi sowore sowore pest sovore pest esa soware FAC dmoviete Soke cay secner” and before that could happen 1 was arrested, abducted T should like to say by your men, ra. And I hear that I've been inconmunicado, so T don’t know what eventually happened. Sut I learnt from sone of our colleagues and from clips that I watched in one Of the offices on Tv that people cane out peacefully. they were attacked, a lot of people were arrested. and fee that’s the information I have. okay. Okay, So what’s the, whats the militant angle to that revolution you talked about? Aaa I aid 1 say militant? 1 said nigher level of resistant. 1 happen to have been a student activist, a student leader and each time we were not satisfied with government, We protested onay. Yes we protested severally, including against military ruleré. iu son. And it was ee our efforts as young students across the country. mma. ‘That produced the democracy we have today. Bom, so it is in that ight. ‘That we say a lot of things were wrong. Arbitrary detentions: aa, Page 18 of 64 104 RolFssi sonore pest sowore pest Sowore ssi sowore ssi esi pest Boet_ *secrer” Like this one that you did to me, you know, eem the level of security or insecurity in the country: vom. and the fact that people didn’t have Living wage. ron. Munger and starvation in the land. aoe, ‘Those are the demands that we felt that government is ignoring, and cen they should be assembled and resented to them in the way that they can be forced to Listen to those demands: okay. And our party in coalition with a group of ee CS0s Civil Society Groups met and had these open meetings. Like you said, you heard about it, we sent them, To discuss how to put heads across the country vn. Before I was arrested, over twenty (20) cities had signed up for that protest action. oxay. But again it was tagged revolution now, that was the battle ery for that resistance. ‘when you say revolution, everybody who wants to see a Sudden and very impressive change in society use the word revolution, okay. ves. Page 190664 ombyete Sosoee = uaer pjoghol4Sonere =~ ssi . Sowore —~ ssi - + Severe esa a pest - Aye secner” nay. ven the current president once talked about the revolution when he was asking for election. tom, During election, some other parties said they want evolution. what they want is a change okay change? ‘That will be fundamental enough that society will turn around, okay. ‘That is what revolution is all about. Bot wil you tag it militant in anyway? When you say militant, what do you mean? Ho it's your om words. No T've not used the word militant; you are the one who introduced it that’s why T’m asking you, T said Did you ever use militant revolution in any of your comment in the call for revolution? Tive told you, I've said it persistently since the interview that, yes, we've used the word revolution now, it's the hash tag and it trended for a long tine So you said you've not used the militant once. You are the one who introduced it. when you sala militant, that is why 1 am asking you to break it down to my level No, it’s just one of the words you've used at some points, may be you clarity it. Well I’m also asking you to clarify what you mean. was you or one of your coordinators saying by the tine you're done with the revolution, 093 will cose to exist by Honday or Tuesday. Page 20of 6 SECRET” oWiMicte wore 2/04 [204esi : Sowre - pest . Sowore = pest - Sowore ssi - Sowore = ssi . ssi : secret” Right? that's pss? tin will cease to exist. Mo it was your coment. Dss is Departnent of states, here State Services, your orsanization. Be yeah. Ht was created by, for the people, Tf the people don't want the DSS to exist, then it won't exist, that's the power of the people. so that somebody said that the DSS will cease to exist doesn’t mean that, you know, the DSS should go and grab the person except you're saying that the DSS, most people won't say sonething against then. Ho that’s not what wo are saying, Tam, just asking, we've heard several other things; it’s just one of ‘those things. Tim explaining to you that if someone says to Jou that DSS will cease to exist by Tuesday, Today is Tuesday, fare you not still in existence? ‘That's what we're asking, Mb hana. ‘That's why we're asking, hov was that to be achieved? No but the question is, what was the context in which the person said iti You're the one who made mention of it. Because you said, you don't even know who said i. uid one of your state coordinators said it. No I never said that, no don’t put words into ay Routh. You said it was either me or you heard from one SL , seen age at ot 6 tbe le Swore hog [204ssi sonore ssi Sonore pss1 ssi Sowore sovore ssa esi “secrer” of my State coordinators. You said you didn’t know who sald it, Okay wo’ll cone to that, aurighe. We'll come to that, when we come to that 1 think you'll elaborate more for us. tow on this, on thie planned revolution, are, are they other individuals, key persons allied to the revolution? Oh r've said that ee organizations Like which organization, and our party members. There is a group; we had a coalition called CORE, Coalition for Revolution. Coalition for Revolution? okay. And the group had other student groups, we had labour groups, fringe groups and een decided to, we met several tines. okay. And planned the match that wis scheduled for August 5, okey. Yes, so some of the groups 1 don’t renesber their proprietors, But which ones do you remenber? aan T know of hamper, I don't know the full meaning of Manper, it’s the acronym for it, okay. Yes, 1 know of Ansa, you know I think is Association, national Association against, you know, sone attacks against students Okay who £2 the person from Nampa. dam Like I said, x don’t remember their nanes, you Wow, right here like I told you, I've been kept incommunicado with my gadgets confiscated. Page 2 of 64 “secner™*secrer” ssa ~ okay. Sowore Yes. ssi = Okay Sovore - And T told you that I've been away from this country for twenty (20) years. pest = okay sowore - 1 haven't really had close associates; yes, rm just Geveloping in the last one and a half years. pest ~ onay. sowore Yes, pest - 80 who are the sponsors of this revolution? Sowora Rem it ds self funding ssi - Sele funding? ssi = okay, seit funding? Sowore Yes, so there is no sponsor. ssi = Mo sponsor? Sowore = Yes, I use my omn resources. ssi > So you use your own besources? : Severe = es. DSst_ == So how much is your net worth that you are using to do this revolution? Sowore - Yes, it‘s eam I don’t, we done have any assigned amount, for example we ask people to produce berets, esi = to produce bereste? Sowore = Yes, and it’s an orange beret. pest = orange beret. Sowore = And nobody gives us money, for we just ask them to pay the producers of the berets, we purchase and wea! hen, 81 = okay, ZL itm 6 rege anor omeyete Sooole 2 2/04/2014Sowore = pest - Sowore — - ssi - Sowore - ssi . Sowore = ioe Sowore = ssa - epi - Sowore = ssi . Sowore sovore - a seceer™ Yes ond we made banners, made placards; I never got to see thon before I was arrested. onay. ua you never got to see? No, no I saw the berets, we were making more, T have the berets, I wore the beret in one of my press conferences. Ok now, do you have any accounts, hank account committed to this purpose or dedicated to ie? No no noo, T have a personal account at GTB. Yes, if that is, I put some money they and transfer Boney to sone of the coordinators, as in the states, to make banners, placards. oxay. ‘ And eem it’s just, it’s just a few of them, okay, Because we didn’t have mich money. 50 Like who and who aia you transfer money to? T don’t want to call their names here, oxay, Yes, sone of then were recommended to me as protester, oxay. People who have been, ch.., whom we talked, and 1 talked to then, cha, I did send some money to do them, “secre” Hh Oqele Save RE t2[e4 rdSowore = esa - Sowore = esi - Sowore = ssi - Sovore = pest - Sowore 5 — ssa - Somore = ssa - sovore = ssi - Sovore - Ce Code S00 \2]09/2014¢ “sEcReT” okay, £0 you basically were funding from your on account. That's correct. Now which, how many accounts do you have in Nigeria? T have one account that is personal to me, and T had ma. and it’s been inactive since the elections were over: okay. Be two (2) other accounts are associated with Sahara Reporters Media Foundation okay. ‘They're with UBA and 1 think one BA and G7B for Sahara Reporters. Media foundation Sshara Reporters Media Foundation, UBA and GTS? hat of your personal account? e's with orp, ‘ ow mich do you have in that account? At this point it’s probably Like twenty thousand Naira (020, 000.00) eft. Okay for Sahara Reporters Media Foundation? don’t control those accounts, they. Wo dooa? Reon it would be, there is een Sshara Reporters executive director in New York and another individual in Lagos, In Lagos. ‘They are the signatories, Because when T was running for office, 1 had to divest myself fron. the organizations. Page 25 of 6a We secre”ssi - Sowore = pest - Sowore = ssa - Sowore ssi - Sowre - esi : Somore = esi . Sowore ~ Sowers - esi - DIOYELE Sensoee hog (20/6 -secner" oray. Because of, 50 as to avoid conflict. Okay, #0 which other personal account do you hav T don't have. Dollar account: I don’t have, all my GTB accounts have dollar component have Naira component, they have the savings, current and the credit card. okay. The credit card is a hundred dollars probably the dollar one is two, two hundred dollars Yes, Its just one account that T have. hat account asme is that? it’s in my mane Onoyele sovore, Ok Just these two (2) names, no third sane? No no no, Mow com, what’s, vhat‘s the Link between you, your revolution the TM, the Zslanie Hovenent in Nigeria? No none. I've covered Islamic Movement of Nigeria extensively. As a reporter: okay as a reporter? Yes, as a result, 1 have developed links with chem. a, Im terms of finding out vnat’s happening in the organization okey. Page 26 of 64 “secrer”Sowore best Sowore pest Sowore ssi ssi soware ssa Sowore ok “scx Loe Sean " *secrer* and T was also opposed to the killings, you know, that was carried out in their preaises, personally and I've condemned it openly. ea, I've attended rallies here in Abuja, during the election to assure them that, if I become president. their leader would be released Rallies by them or? By then. Okay, so you've been in mai rallies? Mow many tines? Beh once I attended once hen was that? Te was during the elections, I don’t know the exact date, but it was during the election, T ws campaigning in Abuja and they said they have a rally, 50 T attended the rally. onay. So you have any contact person in the x7 T have several before. there was even a day ece the place was attacked, I had a contact with the wife, 1 was on the phone with the wife, when she said Mich of the wives? Beem its Zainab, the one that was arrested with ee El- zakeaky. vo, She called me, 1 got a phone, she called me, and Somebody called me and said this is the number for her fand that they are in diseres and T called her back and she said they are about to get Killed, I was talking to her when she said Page 27 of 64 Req pgsoware Sowore esi Sowore esi Sowore ssa esi Sowore ssi soware ssa [te Dine felE Gawsre seer” there’ve arrived and the chip cut-off and 1 reported it on Sahara reporters. 0 yeah and T used to be in touch with their spokespersons. and also received, 1 forgot his name, cen, 1 also receive press releases for Sahara Reporters from then directly, oxay. ‘The TWN media people. okay. Yes, and so we've been, on Saitara Reporters platform, yes have reported extensively about the crises Wow have you ever had any financial, monetary exchange ‘between you, Sahara Reporter and ZIM, or between then land you and Sahara reporters. No no? Now, what of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (xP0B)? don’t have any contact with them but I met with Kanu in New York this year, and een I heard he was in New York and X requested to meat with hi okay. ‘And een when I met with him, I discussed their concerns, een because I said if T was president. 1 will bring them to dialogue, go that Nigeria will sot break up. oxay. So T met with him, but the context of our conversation is public, we uploaded then on YouTube, and face book and it was anounced as well okay. Page 28 of 64 secre ploq/22tgSowre - —_— Sovore ~ Desi : Sowore - ssi . pss2 : Sowore —~ es2 - Sowore ~ pss2 5 Shot hee bmafele Gawere *secrer” Beyond meeting with him I don’t have any other contact with him Okay, you've not received any form of financial help, support from hin? OF he has not supported you in anyway financially. No, never ony. Hon let’ go back to the revolution aspect. (Can you defined what you meant by this revolution nowt As I said it’s a battle ery, mmm when T was in the University, Ibrahim Babangida General was in office and one day we decided nabangida must go, it was our battle cry, we produced posters, shared it everywhere. Z wasn’t ‘arrestea but our leaders were arrested, including the NANS leader that time. He was charged for treason, they said he wanted to overthrow the military government. We said the name military Government is not legitimate so, they cannot tell us Chat, and ee eventually the cases were thrown out. $0 8 pro-democracy activists, we work to expand the Genocratic space. And we chose which words we use Because is freedom of speech. omay. We chose how to associate because is freedom of association and we decide where to move in our countey because is freedom of movement. Yes, so revolution now is our own way of saying that we are dissatisfied with the current state of the nation. and we have established that without taking action, the current leaders of the country will not do something @ifferent. and I’m glad that sone of the demands arc being addressed. 1 heard El-zakzaky is being granted bail now, t0 go for medical treatment, that was something of concern to our team, but there is a lot more that needs to be addressee When you say take action, what exactly go you mean? 229.0168 *secner” 12/04 fzol4pesz Sowre — ~ Sowore - somore - pss2 . Sowore pes2, sowore = tle “scorer” T mean that’s what we did on August 5, embark on matches, peaceful action. What was your wltinate ean objective? The objective is up to the government to determine Our objective is to force the hand of government to address critical issues affecting the country So it was just to addzess issues? That's why we made denands. If we wanted to do Something different we would not have announced it publicly, Yeah, okay, You, you ran for the president last year, That's correct. What was your motivation for ruaaing? T wanted to change this country forever 50 and you campaignea? Yes, that's correct From your own tostinoay here you said you went to thirty-four (34) stats Yes, that's correct. ‘You actually believed that election was the process to power? x do yes, that's why 1 campaigned and contested election Okay and, the outcome of that election, what's your though. Thad said it, it’s a very horrible election, that was fan act of aggression against Nigerian people, 1 didn't believe an election held, I was very disgusted, because I've covered several elections as a reporter, Five actually fought for democracy as a student and in my adult life, 1 keep fighting for democracy. And Eighting to expand democratic space and ensuring that from tine to time, there is peaceful transfer of power. And 1 have seen to it with others that there was 2 military to civilian transfer of power in 1999, you know, after 1999, when somebody wanted to do third Page 300164 secre” Dmogete Save 1Z]09 [pol4pss2 Soware esa Sowore ps2 ssa sowore Soware Slorywt— Zi ILE Sowote 2 feg(20lq Ome secner" term; we made sure we fought against it, so that we can stabilize our democracy. After that period Somebody was sick and they claim he was recovering in Saudi Arabia; we fought to ensure that a minority in this country became president, after that, a party that said ie will be in power for sixty (60) years was Gefeated because we rose up, including, I think in ee 2012 January, when there was occupy Nigeria, you know, 4 major movenent in this country that shook, shook the country to its root. And that led to all. the revelation about all che oil scans that drained ous common wealth. So as a reporter, 1 have done a lot of critical stories, about eom about corruption and about What Rappens that is hidden in government and 1 keow Chat as a result eem, people in Governnent don't like Back to the election, do you still believe ean election is part of donocracy? Te is, also, but democracy also allows for descent that is beyond election. Yes, you can have a perfect election and still go out and protest. and peacefully, you know, and ask for changes fundamental Does that involve to take over power? You can ask for changes, that’s what T just told you, 80 your revolution was not to change ‘the goverment? Listen, I have explained to you that there was a Bisher ievel of resistance against the inactivity of the government. The State of the Nation, you kiow so. The obsective of. What objective yeah. The objective is to bring about the change that will make people feel confortable within this nation. "And people don’t feel confortable if the want, the countey is failing apart. You all know, that the country ic Do you think there is demo, eo desocracy without election? the moment you defeat election, you've killed Gonocracy, Page 3 of 64 secrer”pssz Sowore pss2 Sowore ssi “secre” Because you said you do not, you canst deceive yourself that een, you can actually get to power through election. Mo T said, if we had free and fare elections, anybody an get to power, but we don’t have free and fare elections in this country, You do not believe that elections are the pathway to If they are free, they are, but if they are not, then you close the opportunity for democracy to take hold, and we haven’t bad free and fair election, 1 an @ presidential candidate, and I can tell you that categorically that the elections weren't free and fare. What is your definition of free and fare election? > that's a long one, eee but 1/11 try my best. re is the election were people are allowed to freely express Phetr choice, not an election were soldiers ee shot at people, where thugs are deployed to ransack polling units where figures are changed in the middle of the night in collation centers, that's not free and fare elections. Free and fare elections are elections where People are allowed to exercise their franchise, freely ‘iftout intimidation and the results tally, with their intent. Do you think Wigeria is a failed state? Nigeria? If it is not failed already, it is on its way to failing What do you think? What do x think? I think if it has not failed completely, it is on its way to falling, Nigeria is falling apart and it is part of the redson why people Like me are very concerned instead of seating and ringing my hands, 1 decided to come hone to run for election. Ie is the reason why I meat with people like Kanu, so that they can see how Nigeria, Breaking up Nigeria will not help to solve the problem 1 told hin, 3£ you break up Nigeria and you have Biafra and Biafra 48 flourishing and you are surrounded by 2 Nigeria tm Goer secre” r2/oG felg