Sowore refuses to open defence, insists on judge’s withdrawal from cyberbullying trial

Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a prominent activist, refused to begin his defense in an ongoing cyberbullying trial on Friday. Sowore is accused of falsely labeling President Bola Tinubu a "criminal."

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The matter according to what I heard is for defence. However, my lawyers said they are afraid to appear before you because of the humiliation they suffer before this court. I shall be representing myself, pending when I will constitute new lawyers.

Since May 8, when the court dismissed his no-case submission, Sowore has been locked in a dispute over presenting his defense. Sowore, a two-time presidential candidate planning to run again in 2027, insists that trial judge Mohammed Umar should recuse himself from the case.

On Friday, prosecution lawyer Akinlolu Kehinde informed the court that the hearing was scheduled for Sowore to open his defense, but no lawyer appeared for him. Sowore then addressed the judge, stating his legal team expressed fear of appearing before him due to alleged humiliation. "I shall be representing myself, pending when I will constitute new lawyers," Sowore declared, asserting his constitutional right to choose his counsel.

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The application was for the judge to return “the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment to another judge.”

Sowore then brought attention to an application filed Thursday for the judge's recusal, seeking to have the case reassigned. The prosecution argued this application constituted an abuse of the court process, designed to "annoy and irritate the court."

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He said it was meant to “annoy and irritate the court.”