Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has refused an application by the presidential candidate of the Action Alliance of Nigeria (AAN), Omoyele Sowore, seeking a long adjournment of his ongoing defamation trial, insisting that the case must proceed expeditiously in line with the court's earlier order for an accelerated hearing. Sowore, who is also the publisher of SaharaReporters and a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he defamed President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as "a criminal" in posts published on his X and Facebook accounts.
Sowore, through his lawyer, Reuben Adakole, applied on Monday, 13 July 2026, that his defence in the charge be shifted till after the court's two-month annual vacation. The activist predicated his application for a long adjournment on the ground that his lead lawyer, Olumide Fusika (SAN), was out of the country to attend to family matters. However, the request was vehemently opposed by counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), who drew the attention of the court to 10 previous adjournments the trial had suffered at the instance of Sowore. The senior lawyer told Justice Umar that the latest request for a long adjournment was a ploy to further frustrate the criminal trial. Kehinde also reminded the court of the day-to-day accelerated trial granted in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, adding that granting a two-month adjournment would be against the earlier order of the court.
In a brief ruling, Justice Umar turned down the long adjournment application based on the previous order of the court for an accelerated hearing. The judge subsequently ordered Sowore to be in court on 16 July 2026 for the continuation of his defence in the charge.
Earlier in the proceedings, Sowore's first witness and Abuja-based lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, had, in continuation of his evidence, insisted that President Tinubu, during an official engagement in Benue State, had said citizens have the right to insult, abuse, criticise and call him names, and that law enforcement agencies should allow citizens to exercise their democratic rights. Adeyanju also said that the President made it clear that the judiciary should be the guardian of the public and should not be used as an instrument of oppression against critics. Video clips of where the President was said to have made the remarks were played in the open court. Under cross-examination by the DSS lawyer, Adeyanju admitted being a lawyer to Sowore, but said he opted out later. He also admitted to making comments on social media about his general experience with the arrest and prosecution of the activist. He, however, admitted that President Tinubu never spoke against the law taking its course when laws are broken by any individual.
The matter has been adjourned till 16 July 2026 for the continuation of Sowore's defence in the criminal proceedings.
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