Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticised the revocation of his bail in an ongoing court case linked to his remarks about President Bola Tinubu, alleging that the decision was part of a coordinated effort to influence the proceedings.
Sowore made the claim in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, shortly after learning of the court’s decision.
According to the activist, the judge presiding over the matter revoked his bail despite his appearance in court on the previous hearing date, which he said could not proceed because the judge was absent.
“It has been brought to my notice that the judge presiding over my case concerning ‘Tinubu is a criminal’ has revoked my bail, despite my presence in court yesterday, when the judge was not in attendance; consequently, we requested a new date,” Sowore wrote.
He explained that the matter scheduled for hearing was his application seeking the judge’s recusal from the case, but alleged that the court instead moved to revoke his bail.
“The agenda for today was to consider my application seeking the judge’s recusal, but instead, he opted to revoke my bail in a bid to assert forceful control over the trial,” he stated.
Sowore further alleged that the development had been premeditated but insisted that he would continue to challenge what he described as attempts to intimidate him.
“I will confront these developments with determination and resilience. This was all planned but it shall not prevail. The struggle continues!” he added.
The activist did not provide further details about the court’s ruling or the specific grounds upon which the bail was revoked.
The case stems from legal proceedings arising from Sowore’s public comments concerning President Tinubu, which have generated legal and political debate.
As of the time of filing this report, the court had not publicly responded to Sowore’s allegations, while details of the ruling were yet to be independently verified.
The latest development adds another chapter to the long-running legal battles involving the activist, who has frequently positioned himself as a critic of successive governments and a campaigner for democratic accountability and civil liberties in Nigeria.