THE Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Mohammed Umar, in a brief ruling, directed that Sowore be kept in custody pending the hearing and determination of his motion seeking a stay of execution of the order revoking his bail and the bench warrant issued against him.
Justice Umar also dismissed an earlier application filed by Sowore seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on grounds of alleged bias, ruling that the request lacked merit.
The court thereafter adjourned the matter until June 24 for hearing of the motion for stay of execution.
The application was filed by Sowore’s new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN.
This newspaper had earlier reported that Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, arrived at the court in company of members of his group carrying placards in solidarity.
Justice Umar had, on June 16, revoked the bail earlier granted to Sowore after he failed to appear for his trial.
In a ruling on an oral application made by counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN, the court also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over alleged false statements made against President Bola Tinubu, in which he reportedly referred to the President as “a criminal” in posts shared on his X and Facebook accounts.
