Sowore cyberbullying trial stalls in Abuja as defendant seeks self-representation and files recusal motion against trial judge
Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate, and Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, on 5 June 2026 experienced a stalled proceeding in the ongoing Sowore cyberbullying trial after the defendant indicated he would temporarily represent himself in court amid a breakdown in his legal team.
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The development followed Sowore’s appearance in court where he informed the judge that his lawyers had withdrawn from active participation, leaving him to handle his defence personally pending the reconstitution of a new legal team.
Justice Umar had previously ordered that the trial proceed on a day-to-day basis and directed Sowore to open his defence, setting the stage for Friday’s hearing.
However, proceedings stalled when Sowore told the court that his legal representatives were absent, stating that they had opted out due to what he described as concerns over how they were treated during earlier proceedings.
The defendant, who was already in the dock, told the court that he was exercising his constitutional right to self-representation temporarily while he reorganised his defence team.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services over allegations that he made false and derogatory statements about President Bola Tinubu, including referring to him as “a criminal” on his social media accounts.
During the sitting, Sowore also informed the court of a pending motion seeking the recusal of Justice Umar on grounds of alleged bias and perceived humiliation, a move that added further complexity to the already tense proceedings.
The DSS legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Akinlolu Kehinde, opposed the application, describing it as incompetent and an abuse of court process intended to delay proceedings.
The prosecution further argued that the trial was already scheduled for accelerated hearing following directives for day-to-day continuation, insisting the court should proceed without further delay.
Justice Umar, however, noted procedural concerns raised in the filings and adjourned ruling on the recusal application to a later date, while maintaining the court’s position on proceeding with the trial timetable.
Sowore also appealed for additional time to secure new counsel, citing ongoing efforts to rebuild his legal representation and referencing the Democracy Day period as part of his request for indulgence.
The judge, while acknowledging the plea, maintained that prior orders for continuous hearing remained in force, before adjourning the matter until 15 June 2026 for ruling and continuation of defence.
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The Sowore cyberbullying trial now faces heightened legal uncertainty as issues of representation, judicial recusal, and procedural objections continue to dominate proceedings.
