By Priye Briggs
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his motion to stay the order revoking his bail and the bench warrant issued against him.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar, the court dismissed Sowore’s application seeking the judge’s recusal over alleged bias. The matter was adjourned until Wednesday, 24 June, for hearing of the motion for stay.
Sowore’s new lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, filed the application for stay. The activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters had arrived at court accompanied by supporters carrying placards.
On 16 June, Justice Umar revoked Sowore’s bail after he failed to appear for trial, and subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest following an oral application by prosecution counsel Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN.
The State Security Service (SSS) is prosecuting Sowore for allegedly making false claims against President Bola Tinubu, whom he referred to as “a criminal” in posts on his X and Facebook accounts last year.