Sowore: Ejimakor warns Tinubu, FG.

Nnamdi Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor has cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against continuing the criminal prosecution of human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, warning that such action could have far-reaching political consequences for Nigeria’s democracy.

Ejimakor, in a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, argued that prosecuting Sowore over a social media post in which he allegedly referred to President Tinubu as a “criminal” was unnecessary, politically unwise, and capable of deepening political tensions as the country approaches another election cycle.

According to the constitutional lawyer, history offers important lessons that should not be ignored, pointing to the political prosecution and eventual conviction of the late nationalist and former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the early 1960s.

He noted that the Awolowo trial contributed significantly to the political instability that engulfed Nigeria, eventually culminating in the military coup of January 1966 and the civil war that followed.

“President Tinubu must urgently rethink the wisdom of prosecuting Omoyele Sowore over something as trivial as a social media post calling him a ‘criminal’,” Ejimakor said.

“History is a relentless teacher. The political trial and conviction of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the 1960s helped spark a crisis that eventually plunged Nigeria into a military coup and a devastating civil war. Repeating such heavy-handed tactics against political opponents near an election cycle is a dangerous gamble.”

The lawyer also referred to the recent appearance of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in court, describing it as a missed opportunity to bring the matter to an end.

According to him, rather than pressing ahead with the prosecution, the Attorney-General should invoke the constitutional power of nolle prosequi to discontinue the criminal proceedings against Sowore.

“AGF Lateef Fagbemi’s surprise court appearance on July 27 was a missed opportunity to apply the brakes,” Ejimakor stated.

“Rather than escalating the state’s fight against an active presidential candidate, the Attorney-General should return to court next time to enter a nolle prosequi and discontinue the case.”

Ejimakor maintained that allowing the prosecution to continue would create damaging perceptions about Nigeria’s democratic credentials and suggest intolerance toward opposition voices. He warned that placing a presidential candidate through the rigours of criminal trial close to a general election sends the wrong signal both locally and internationally.

“Subjecting a presidential candidate to the rigours of trial so close to the general election creates terrible democratic optics,” he said.

“It projects weakness and fear of opposition rather than democratic confidence. It is time to discontinue the case and protect our democratic stability.”

The senior lawyer further argued that discontinuing the case would not undermine the authority of government but would instead reinforce confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions and demonstrate a commitment to political tolerance and the rule of law.

Umuaka Times investigations show that Sowore has remained one of Nigeria’s most frequently arrested opposition figures over the past several years.

From the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023) to the current administration of President Bola Tinubu (2023–present), Sowore has been arrested and detained on multiple occasions in connection with protests, political activism and public criticism of government policies.

Notable incidents include his August 2019 arrest ahead of the #RevolutionNow protest on allegations that included treasonable felony, his prolonged detention despite being granted bail by a Federal High Court, and his dramatic rearrest inside the Federal High Court in Abuja in December 2019 shortly after his release.

He was again arrested during a January 2021 protest against insecurity and poor governance, with his legal team alleging that he sustained facial injuries during the arrest. The Nigeria Police denied the allegations of assault.

Under the Tinubu administration, the Federal Government withdrew the treason charges originating from the 2019 case in 2024. However, Sowore was subsequently arrested in connection with allegations of cyberstalking and forgery. He alleged that he was assaulted and tortured while in police custody, claims that were denied by the Nigeria Police.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly expressed concern over Sowore’s arrests, detention and prosecution, describing several of the actions as violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Amnesty International declared Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, Prisoners of Conscience in 2019 after they were detained despite court orders granting them bail.

Human Rights Watch has also documented Sowore’s allegations of assault while noting that Nigerian authorities have consistently denied allegations of torture and maintained that all actions taken against him were based on alleged violations of Nigerian law. To date, there has been no judicial finding establishing that Sowore was tortured by security agencies.