Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has refused a request by Omoyele Sowore, the Action Alliance of Nigeria presidential candidate, to postpone his defamation trial. The case was initiated by the Department of State Service, which accuses Sowore of defaming President Bola Tinubu via social media posts.
Represented by Reuben Adakole, Sowore sought to pause the defense proceedings until after the court’s two-month annual break, citing that his lead counsel, Olumide Fusika, SAN, was traveling for family reasons. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, representing the DSS, challenged the motion, noting that Sowore had already requested ten previous adjournments. He argued that the delay was a deliberate strategy to stall the legal process and conflicted with the court’s prior mandate for an accelerated trial under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015.
Justice Umar rejected the request, maintaining the court’s earlier schedule. He directed Sowore to appear on July 16, 2026, to continue presenting his defense. Prior to the ruling, witness Deji Adeyanju testified that President Tinubu previously expressed that citizens are entitled to criticize government officials. Video evidence was submitted to support this claim, though Adeyanju acknowledged under cross-examination that the President also supported legal action against individuals who violate the law.