The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday shifted the arraignment of politician and activist Omoyele Sowore to a later date in the defamation case filed against him over alleged derogatory remarks about President Bola Tinubu.
The court fixed October 27, 2025 for the fresh hearing.
The case was brought before the court by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The prosecution alleged that Sowore violated provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as certain sections of the Criminal Code Act through online publications targeting the President.
During the court session, Sowore’s counsel, Marshal Abubakar, raised objections to the commencement of arraignment.
He argued that his client had not been duly served with the charges, making it improper for the proceedings to continue.
He also pointed out that the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, was not represented in court, while Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook, was represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tayo Oyetibo.
Presiding Judge Mohammed Umar upheld the objection and directed that Sowore be formally served with the charge sheets.
He adjourned the matter to October 27 for proper arraignment. The Director of Public Prosecutions and other parties present in court did not oppose the ruling.
The prosecution alleged that Sowore, in a series of posts made in August 2025 on X and Facebook, published statements that insulted President Tinubu, accused him of corruption, and misrepresented the country’s crime rate during his official visit to Brazil.
The government argued that these posts were not only defamatory but also intended to mislead the public and incite unrest.
Specifically, the charges accuse Sowore of using social media platforms to disseminate false information with the intention of stirring public disorder, in violation of Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act, 2024.
He is also accused of defaming the person of the President under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, and of publishing false claims likely to cause fear and disturb public peace, contrary to Section 59 of the same Act.
Sowore, who contested Nigeria’s presidency in the 2019 and 2023 elections on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC), now faces another round of legal battles as his political activism continues to attract controversy.
With the new date set by the court, all eyes will be on the Federal High Court in Abuja at the end of October as the case against him proceeds.
