A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his application seeking a stay of execution of an earlier court order revoking his bail and issuing a bench warrant for his arrest.
The order was made on Monday by Justice Mohammed Umar during proceedings in the ongoing trial involving the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and publisher.
Justice Umar ruled that Sowore should remain in custody until the court hears and determines the motion for stay of execution filed by his legal team. The application was presented by his new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), who is seeking to suspend the enforcement of the court’s earlier orders.
The court also dismissed a separate application in which Sowore requested that Justice Umar withdraw from further handling of the case over allegations of bias. The judge held that there was no sufficient basis to warrant his recusal and consequently declined the request.
Following the rulings, the matter was adjourned until June 24 for the hearing of the application seeking a stay of execution.
Proceedings attracted public attention as Sowore arrived at the court premises accompanied by a group of supporters carrying placards and expressing solidarity with him before the commencement of the hearing.
The latest development follows an earlier decision of the court on June 16, when Justice Umar revoked Sowore’s bail after he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. The court held that the defendant neither appeared in person nor provided a satisfactory explanation for his absence, despite a request for an adjournment submitted through correspondence.
Consequently, the court revoked his bail and issued a bench warrant directing security agencies to arrest and produce him before the court for the continuation of his trial.
Sowore is currently facing prosecution by the Department of State Services over allegations that he made defamatory and false claims against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through posts published on his social media accounts.
The prosecution alleges that Sowore referred to the President as “a criminal” in posts shared on the social media platforms X and Facebook, an allegation that forms the basis of the charges before the court.
The case has continued to attract significant public interest due to Sowore’s prominence as a politician, activist, and media entrepreneur, with the next stage of the proceedings expected to determine whether the court will grant his application to suspend the execution of the earlier orders while the substantive trial continues.
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