The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday directed that Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Mohammed Umar gave the order in a brief ruling, stating that Sowore should remain in custody pending the hearing and determination of his motion seeking a stay of execution on the earlier order that revoked his bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The court also threw out Sowore’s application requesting the judge’s withdrawal from the case over alleged bias.
Justice Umar subsequently adjourned the matter until June 24 for hearing of the motion for stay. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the application was filed by Sowore’s new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN.
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NAN also reported that Sowore, who is the publisher of Sahara Reporters, appeared in court on Monday alongside supporters carrying placards.
The judge had earlier, on June 16, revoked Sowore’s bail after he failed to appear for his trial. In that same ruling, delivered following an oral application by Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), the court also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over allegations that he made false statements against President Bola Tinubu, including referring to him as “a criminal” in posts shared on his X and Facebook accounts.