Human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has called for international sanctions against the organisers of the Ikogosi Marathon and Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, following his exclusion from the 2026 edition of the competition.
The organisers announced Sowore’s disqualification on Saturday, the day the 17.5-kilometre race was scheduled to take place, citing security concerns arising from recent incidents involving the activist and his associates in Ekiti State.
In a statement, the Ikogosi Marathon Initiative said although Sowore had registered for the competition, he was neither issued a race bib nor cleared to participate.
The management explained that the decision followed a review of what it described as independently obtained and verifiable evidence of activities involving Sowore and his associates at its office premises and other locations in the state.
It said, “Following a review of independently obtained and verifiable evidence, including activities by Mr. Sowore and his associates within the Ikogosi Marathon office premises and elsewhere in Ekiti State, the Initiative determined that his participation raises serious security concerns inconsistent with our commitment to a peaceful sporting environment.”
The organisers denied that the decision was politically motivated, maintaining that it was based on security considerations and documented conduct rather than Sowore’s political affiliation.
They added that the initiative had maintained a policy against the use of its facilities, events and branding for political campaigns or partisan activities since 2014.
Reacting to the development in a statement on his X account, Sowore urged World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, to sanction the organisers and blacklist them from future sporting events.
He also accused the initiative’s management, led by Makinde Araoye, of complicity in the alleged attack on him and members of his team in Ekiti State.
Describing the organisers’ statement as “self-indicting”, Sowore argued that sporting events should not be used to facilitate political intimidation or violence.
He said, “Sporting events must never become hunting grounds for political thugs, government-sponsored violence, intimidation, or assassination. Runners and other participants must be guaranteed safety, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliations.”
The activist further demanded an independent investigation into the alleged attack, insisting that those responsible should be held accountable.
He also threatened legal action against the marathon organisers and the Ekiti State Government, saying he would pursue available legal options both within Nigeria and internationally.
The development comes a day after Sowore and members of his team were reportedly attacked and injured by some individuals in Ado-Ekiti.
The Ekiti State Police Command had described the incident as an altercation, confirming that Sowore sustained injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
However, the activist rejected the police account, insisting that there was no altercation and alleging that armed thugs attacked his team and threatened to kill him.
The disagreement over the circumstances surrounding the incident has continued, with Sowore demanding accountability.
Meanwhile, the marathon organisers maintained that the 2026 competition remained open to participants from different backgrounds who complied with its rules, reiterating their commitment to providing a safe and politically neutral environment for runners, officials, volunteers and spectators.
