The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings in his alleged defamation case involving President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, in a brief ruling, directed that Sowore be kept in custody pending the hearing and determination of his application seeking a stay of the court’s earlier decision revoking his bail and issuing a bench warrant for his arrest.
The court also dismissed an application filed by Sowore requesting Justice Umar to recuse himself from the case over allegations of bias.
Following the ruling, the judge adjourned proceedings until June 24 to hear the motion for stay filed by Sowore’s new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN.
Sowore arrived at the Federal High Court accompanied by supporters and members of his group, some of whom carried placards in solidarity with him.
The development follows a June 16 ruling in which Justice Umar revoked the bail earlier granted to Sowore after he failed to appear in court for his trial. The judge also granted an oral application by counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN, and issued a bench warrant for the activist’s arrest.
The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over allegations that he made defamatory statements against President Bola Tinubu by describing him as “a criminal” in posts published on his X and Facebook accounts.
The case has continued to attract public attention, with the court set to determine the next phase of proceedings at the resumed hearing on June 24.
