By Paul Joseph
The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly directed its private counsel, Akinolu Kehinde, SAN, to initiate steps toward suspending the alleged cyberbullying case against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, until after the 2027 presidential election.
According to the information obtained by Starnews NG, the decision followed a meeting involving the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, Kehinde and senior officials of the agency’s legal directorate on August 20.
The meeting was said to have focused on the possibility of putting the case on hold to enable Sowore, who is expected to participate in the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, to fully take part in the electoral process.
According to a source, the DSS leadership considered it appropriate to suspend the court proceedings with the commencement of presidential campaigns, allowing Sowore to participate in campaign activities without the distraction of ongoing litigation.
The source said the DSS Director-General argued that since the matter had already been before the court for nearly a year, suspending proceedings for an additional four months would not significantly affect the case.
The DSS is expected to formally communicate its position to the Federal High Court when normal court sittings resume on September 14, 2026, following the annual judicial vacation.
If the application is granted, the matter could remain in abeyance throughout the presidential campaign and election period.
The case arose from social media posts allegedly made by Sowore on August 25, 2025, through his X account and Facebook page, in which he described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The DSS reportedly gave Sowore seven days to delete the posts, but he declined to comply with the directive.
The security agency subsequently approached the Federal High Court, seeking a judicial determination on whether the posts amounted to cyberbullying.
It also sought the court’s interpretation on whether describing President Tinubu or any other person as a “criminal” without a prior court conviction could constitute an offence.
Sowore, a prominent critic of the Tinubu administration, is expected to seek the presidency on the platform of the African Action Congress in the 2027 general election.
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