Activist Omoyele Sowore on Friday accused Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja of being biased in the ongoing cyberbullying case filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The allegation came shortly after the court dismissed Sowore’s no-case submission in the matter.
After the ruling, Sowore requested permission to address the court directly. Although the prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the request because Sowore’s lawyer was already present, the judge eventually allowed him to speak following repeated appeals from both Sowore and his counsel, Marshall Abubakar.
Speaking before the court, Sowore openly claimed that the judge was siding with the Federal Government and that he could no longer expect a fair trial in the court.
He argued that the dismissal of his no-case submission showed that the judge had already made up his mind about the case. Sowore then asked Justice Umar to step away from the trial and allow another judge to handle it.
The activist further alleged that the government was determined to secure his conviction in order to stop him from participating in the 2027 general election.
Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, also supported the request, accusing the court of favouring the Federal Government during the proceedings.
Abubakar urged the judge to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court so that it could be reassigned to another judge.
Meanwhile, DSS lawyer Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, asked the court to reject the oral request for the judge to withdraw from the case.
In a short ruling, Justice Umar directed Sowore to submit a formal application stating clearly why he wants the judge to recuse himself from the trial.
The court later fixed May 19, 2026, for Sowore to begin presenting his defence and for the hearing of the recusal application.