*Prosecution Counsel Accuses Sowore of delay tactics as Court Sets June 4 for Ruling on recusal petition*

Politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore has failed to enter a defence in his ongoing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja on cyberbullying related offences.

Sowore is being prosecuted for allegedly making false claims against the person of President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as “a criminal” in a post he made on his “X” and Facebook accounts.

When the case last came up on May 8, Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, dismissed Sowore’s no-case submission and upheld the argument by the prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), that a prima facie case has been established against Sowore to warrant his being called upon to enter a defence. Recall that before adjournment, the courts dismissed Sowore’s fundamental rights suit and awarded a N1.5M fine to DSS and others.

Justice Umar then, ordered the defendant to enter his defence against the case already made out against him by the prosecution.

Shortly after the ruling, Sowore and his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar applied orally that the judge should withdraw from further handling the case on grounds of alleged bias.

Following the objection raised by Kehinde that such application are usually made formal to enable the adverse party respond appropriately, Justice Umar ordered the defence to file a formal application on their request for the judge to recuse himself to enable the prosecution respond and for the court to make a ruling.

When the case came up on Tuesday, Abubakar told the court that his client has filed letters and applications to the court’s Chief Judge, demanding a reassignment of the case to another judge.

He said the applications, one filed personally by Sowore and the other by him (the lawyer) are accompanied with affidavits and exhibits containing reasons why they are asking that the case be reassigned to another judge.

Responding, Kehinde said he was served on May 19 with the two letters filed by the defence on the same date (May 19).

Kehinde argued that what the defence has done is contrary what the court ordered them to do on the last date, which was to file a formal application to the court on their request for the judge’s recusal.

He said: “All the processes that they have filed are of no moment. This was not the directive of the court. We are opposed to all they have done.”

The prosecuting lawyer urged the court not to allow the defence to detect that pace of the proceedings in the case.

He noted that the case has got to the stage where the defendant should enter his defence if he has and If he does not have he should tell the court so that the prosecution can make the appropriate application.

In his reply, Abubakar argued that the defence has done the appropriate thing and urged the court not to allow itself to be railroaded into taking steps that are alien to the administration of justice.

The defence lawyer urged the court to adjourn further proceedings in the case to await the decision of the court’s CJ on the letters they wrote.

Ruling, Justice Umar ordered the prosecution to file its response to the defence’s letters dated May 19 which are addressed to the Chief Judge and which have also been served on the prosecuting lawyer.

The judge adjourned further hearing till June 4 pending the outcome of the petition written by the defence to the court’s Chief Judge.

Hon. Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), relevant security agencies, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to safeguard the integrity of the APC primary election process in the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo and Odigbo Federal Constituency.

In a press statement, the House of Representatives aspirant expressed appreciation to party members, supporters, women, youths, and grassroots stakeholders who participated peacefully in the primary despite reported incidents of intimidation, pressure, and attempts to undermine the democratic will of the people.

According to verified polling unit reports collated by agents across the constituency, Hon. Fajemirokun-Ajayi secured overwhelming grassroots support, particularly within Odigbo Local Government Area, the largest voting bloc in the constituency. The figures show:

– *Hon. Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi* — 4,247 votes
– *Matthew Oye Oyerinmade* — 1,790 votes
– *Festus Adefiranye* — 788 votes

She recorded decisive victories across several wards in Odigbo LGA, including Agbabu, Ago-Alaye, Ajue, Araromi Obu, Ebijaw, Koseru, Odigbo, Ore I, and Ore II.

However, the statement alleged that despite the clear outcome reflected in polling unit reports, there were disturbing reports of intimidation, disruption, and irregularities in parts of the constituency. These included alleged disruption of voting lines, absence of electoral officials in certain locations, and attempts to compromise the integrity of the results.

Of particular concern, the statement cited allegations involving certain aides and associates linked to the Ondo State Government, whose reported conduct “if left unchecked, risks undermining the credibility of future party elections and tarnishing the democratic image of the APC.”

Hon. Fajemirokun-Ajayi said democracy cannot flourish where intimidation replaces fairness, transparency, and due process. She called on President Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC to protect ordinary party members, women, youths, and minority voices from political intimidation, suppression, and exclusion.

“Women have a rightful place in politics. Women have a rightful place in leadership. The voices and votes of the people must never be silenced,” she stated.

The aspirant reaffirmed her commitment to peace, democratic engagement, party unity, and the continued advancement of credible internal democracy within the APC.

_Signed: Hon. Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi
APC House of Representatives Aspirant
Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo & Odigbo Federal Constituency_

*Lauds DSS’ Treatment of Client. * Court Sets May 25 for continuation of Trial

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to social media commentator, Justice Chidiebere, popularly known as “Justice Crack,” in the sum of Five Million Naira (₦5,000,000), with one surety in the like sum. The bail was secured through his new lawyer, Sam Amadi.
Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, whom Crack had debriefed, was visibly absent throughout the sitting.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while ruling on the bail application, imposed a number of conditions to be satisfied before the bail is perfected.

Aside requiring that the proposed surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court at a fixed and verifiable address for a minimum of four years, such must deposit proof of residence either through a tenancy agreement or a Certificate of Occupancy, at the court registry.

The surety was required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15, with evidence of at least three months of salary payments, a letter of authentication from the immediate head of department, and proof of pensionable employment. The surety must also depose to an affidavit of means and submit a recent passport photograph to the registry.

As a further condition, the defendant was directed to deposit his international passport with the court pending the determination of the matter.

Earlier in the proceedings, prosecution counsel, M. L. Aboye, informed the court that the prosecution was fully prepared to commence trial. The first prosecution witness, identified as Oronto Douglas, a DSS operative, thereafter took the stand.

The witness told the court that he came to know the defendant in the course of investigations, after he was transferred to the Department of State Services (DSS) from the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps.
The witness affirmed that the defendant voluntarily made an extra-judicial statement, which was duly recorded in the presence of lawyers from Legal Aid Council.

According to the witness, some soldiers had sent pictures to the defendant, who allegedly converted the images into videos and posted them on social media without verifying the authenticity of the materials with military sources. He further disclosed that investigators conducted a forensic examination of the defendant’s mobile phone, from which they extracted videos allegedly posted online, conversations between the defendant and some soldiers, chats with a godfather allegedly discussing protests, as well as excerpts from his various social media pages.

The witness added that, upon conclusion of the forensic process, a certificate of compliance was issued and signed by a superior officer.

Thereafter, the defense counsel, Sam Amadi, informed the court that the defence had not been served with the investigation report and other documents the prosecution sought to tender before the court.

The prosecution, in response, described the lapse as an oversight and apologized to the court.

The trial judge subsequently admitted the DSS’ investigation report as Exhibit A.

The prosecution further tendered an iPhone allegedly recovered from the defendant, a flash drive said to contain videos posted on various social media platforms, conversations extracted from the device, and the certificate of compliance.

The defence, however, raised a formal objection to the admissibility of the flash drive, arguing that its contents had neither been described nor played before the court for proper evaluation.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter to May 25 for continuation of trial.