The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an application by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, seeking to postpone the continuation of his defence in a case involving alleged cyberbullying of President Bola Tinubu.
Naijaonpoint reports that Justice Mohammed Umar declined the request and ordered Sowore to return to court on July 16 for the continuation of proceedings.
The case was instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Sowore’s lawyer, Raphael Adakole, had urged the court to adjourn the matter until after its annual vacation.
Adakole explained that the lead defence counsel, Olumide Fusika (SAN), was outside the country and unavailable to continue with the trial.
The application was opposed by counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), who argued that the case had already been delayed several times at the defendant’s instance.
Kehinde told the court that the matter had suffered 10 adjournments sought by Sowore’s legal team.
He also reminded the judge that the court had earlier ordered an accelerated day-to-day hearing in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
According to him, granting another adjournment of about two months would undermine the court’s earlier directive.
In a brief ruling, Justice Umar rejected the defence application, citing the existing order for an accelerated hearing.
The judge consequently fixed July 16 for Sowore to continue presenting his defence.
Earlier in the proceedings, Sowore’s first defence witness, Abuja-based lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, testified about remarks allegedly made by Tinubu during an official visit to Benue State.
Adeyanju said the President stated that Nigerians had the democratic right to criticise, insult and call him names, and that security agencies should allow citizens to exercise those freedoms.
NAIJAONPOINT also told the court that Tinubu had emphasised that the judiciary should protect citizens and should not be turned into an instrument for suppressing critics.
Video clips in which the President reportedly made the statements were played in open court.
During cross-examination by the DSS counsel, Adeyanju admitted that he had previously represented Sowore as a lawyer before withdrawing from the role.
He also acknowledged making social media comments about his personal experiences with arrests and prosecutions in similar cases.
Adeyanju, however, conceded that Tinubu did not say the law should be ignored where an individual was found to have committed an offence.
The court adjourned the matter until July 16 to continue Sowore’s defence.
