- Odibo Victory
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) for the 2027 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, has pledged to transform Nigeria into a major global sports hub if elected president.
Sowore made the promise on Saturday in Enugu while taking part in the 2026 Enugu City International Marathon.
He said his administration would ensure Nigeria qualifies for every FIFA World Cup throughout his eight-year tenure, while also investing in other sporting disciplines to enable Nigerian athletes compete effectively on the international stage.
The AAC candidate, who participated in the 10-kilometre race for the second time, said he decided to return after being impressed with the organisation of the previous edition.
“Well, I came back because I was impressed with the first one and I have seen so far that the organisation is impressive,” he said.
Sowore described road races as an important tool for encouraging healthy living, strengthening communities and engaging young people, calling on every state in the country to organise similar events.
He, however, pointed out that the 10-kilometre event was not technically a marathon, explaining that a full marathon covers 42 kilometres, while a half marathon is 21 kilometres.
According to him, sporting activities promote good health, foster community development and create a link between sports and culture.
He added that sports could serve as a platform for developing young Nigerians into global ambassadors while opening up major economic opportunities for the country.
“Most importantly, this is how to build young people to be global ambassadors of your country. There’s a big economy out there that is known as the sports economy.
“We call it the orange economy. It’s an economic model that, if well-developed, can bring more money than oil,” he said.
Sowore pointed to Brazil and Kenya as examples of countries that have benefited greatly from sports, particularly football and long-distance running.
“Nigeria has 200 million people. I don’t know why we are not beating Kenya in all the long-distance races,” he said.
He further pledged to improve sports infrastructure and create an enabling environment that would allow athletes to develop and excel across different sporting disciplines if elected.
“Nigeria will become a major sports hub for the world. It doesn’t matter which sports you are doing. I’m a swimmer too, by the way.
“I come from the Niger Delta region. I don’t know why we are not winning swimming medals. We have great runners,” he said.
The AAC presidential candidate also faulted the administration of sports in Nigeria, particularly the management of football, arguing that the country possesses enough talent to achieve better results internationally.
He said Nigeria had failed to maximise its sporting potential due to poor administration and inadequate support for athletes.
Sowore described Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup as unacceptable, promising that his administration would make regular qualification for the tournament a priority.
“We are supposed to be at the World Cup. If I’m president of Nigeria, we are not missing any World Cup for my eight years. I’ll make sure that happens.
“This is because we get the best and the most competent and we will provide the environment for sports to thrive in this country,” he said.