The organisers of the Ikogosi Marathon have excluded activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, from the 2026 edition of the competition, prompting him to demand international sanctions against the organisers and Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
The Ikogosi Marathon Initiative announced the exclusion in a statement released on Saturday, the day the 17.5-kilometre race was scheduled to hold.
The organisers cited security concerns arising from recent incidents involving Sowore and his associates in Ekiti State.
According to the initiative, although Sowore registered for the competition, he was not issued a race bib and had not been cleared to participate.
The statement, signed by the management of the initiative, said the decision followed a review of what it described as independently obtained and verifiable evidence, including activities involving Sowore and his associates at its office premises and other locations in Ekiti 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, however, denied that the decision was politically motivated, insisting that it was based on documented conduct and security considerations rather than Sowore’s political beliefs or affiliation.
“The Initiative respects individual political rights but will not permit activities compromising the safety, neutrality, or sporting objectives of our event,” the statement added.
The initiative said it had maintained a policy against using its platform, facilities, events or branding for political campaigns and partisan demonstrations since 2014.
Reacting to the development, Sowore called on World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, to sanction the organisers and blacklist them from future sporting events.
In a statement posted on his X account, the activist accused the organisers, led by Makinde Araoye, of complicity in the attack on him and members of his team in Ekiti State.
He also demanded international sanctions against Oyebanji and the marathon organisers.
Describing the organisers’ statement as “self-indicting”, Sowore said sporting events should not be turned into platforms for political violence and intimidation.
“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,” he said.
He further called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack, insisting that those responsible must be held accountable.
Sowore also threatened legal action against the organisers and the Ekiti State Government, saying he would pursue the matter through available legal channels in Nigeria and internationally.
The development follows an incident on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, where Sowore and members of his team were reportedly attacked and injured by some individuals.
The Ekiti State Police Command had described the incident as an altercation, saying Sowore was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.
However, the activist rejected the police account, insisting that there was no altercation and accusing the attackers of being armed thugs who threatened to kill him.
The disagreement between Sowore and the police over the incident has continued, with the activist demanding accountability for the attack.
The marathon organisers said the 2026 competition would remain open to participants from different backgrounds who complied with its rules, adding that they remained committed to providing a safe and politically neutral environment for runners, volunteers, officials and spectators.
