The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an application by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, seeking to delay further proceedings in his alleged cyberbullying trial until after the court’s annual vacation.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, who dismissed the application on Monday, ordered Sowore to continue presenting his defence on July 16, 2026.
The judge held that granting another lengthy adjournment would undermine the court’s earlier directive that the criminal case be given an accelerated hearing.
Sowore’s legal team had asked the court to postpone further proceedings until after the annual vacation, explaining that the lead defence counsel was outside the country and unavailable to conduct the case.
The application was strongly opposed by counsel to the Department of State Services, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, who argued that the trial had already suffered several delays at the instance of the defendant.
Kehinde reportedly told the court that Sowore’s legal team had sought about 10 previous adjournments and maintained that another postponement of approximately two months would further delay the determination of the case.
The prosecution counsel also reminded the court that it had previously ordered an accelerated hearing in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
In his ruling, Justice Umar agreed that the interest of justice required the trial to continue without another prolonged interruption and consequently fixed July 16 for the continuation of Sowore’s defence.
Earlier in the proceedings, Abuja-based human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju testified as Sowore’s first defence witness.
Adeyanju told the court that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had publicly acknowledged the democratic right of Nigerians to criticise, insult and call him names without being suppressed by security agencies.
Video clips containing the President’s remarks were played in open court and tendered as part of the evidence presented by the defence.
Adeyanju also testified that Tinubu had cautioned against using the judiciary and security agencies to suppress citizens who expressed critical opinions about the government.
During cross-examination, however, Adeyanju admitted that although the President supported freedom of expression, he did not state that people who violated the law should be protected from prosecution or other legal consequences.
Sowore, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the African Action Congress, is being prosecuted by the DSS over social media posts in which he allegedly referred to President Tinubu as a “criminal.”
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court had earlier dismissed Sowore’s no-case submission after holding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring him to enter a defence.
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