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 pending further proceedings in his alleged defamation case involving President Bola Tinubu.

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, in a brief ruling, directed that Sowore remain in custody while the court considers his application seeking a stay of execution of the order revoking his bail and issuing a bench warrant for his arrest.

The court also dismissed an earlier application by Sowore requesting the judge to recuse himself from the case over claims of bias.

Justice Umar subsequently adjourned the matter until June 24 for the hearing of the motion for stay, filed by Sowore’s new counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN).

Sowore arrived at the court accompanied by supporters carrying placards in solidarity with him.

The judge had on June 16 revoked the activist’s bail after he failed to appear in court for his trial. Following an oral application by counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinkolu Kehinde (SAN), the court also issued a bench warrant for Sowore’s arrest.

The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over allegations that he made defamatory statements against President Bola Tinubu, including referring to the president as “a criminal” in posts published on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.