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Tag: Omoyele Sowore

  • 2023: Sowore begs Nigerians to vote for African Action Congress

    2023: Sowore begs Nigerians to vote for African Action Congress

    Mr Omoyele Sowore, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC), on Saturday appealed to Nigerians to vote for his party in the 2023 general elections.

    Sowore, the publisher of the SaharaReporters, made the plea in Akure while speaking with newsmen, amid a resounding welcome by party faithful.

    According to him, Nigerians, most especially the youths, need to challenge those seeking political office ahead of 2023 general elections.

    “This is the right time to challenge those in power and bring those with fresh blood, ideas and initiatives that can change the narratives for Nigeria.

    “The time for the nation to work for Nigerians has also arrived.

    “Other political parties are even going into extinction and we would help to consign them into the dustbin of history as soon as possible.

    “For the people of Ondo State, and those who have not heard, I, Omoyele Sowore is going to be the next President of Nigeria,” he said.

    The AAC presidential aspirant expressed happiness that he was received by supporters and mammoth crowd from his country home, Kiribo, in Ese-Odo Local Government area of the state.

    He also described his incarceration by the Department of State Services (DSS) as “a complete waste of time.”

    Sowore said he was stronger and bolder, now that he has been released to move around the country.

    The AAC presidential aspirant said he would continue to speak against injustice.

  • Sowore blasts Wike for declaring interest in presidency

    Sowore blasts Wike for declaring interest in presidency

    Activist and presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has responded to Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike’s declaration of interest to contest the presidency of the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com TNG reports that Nyesom Wike has indicated interest in the country’s number one seat yesterday.

    Wike made his intention to contest known when he visited the Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom in Makurdi.

    He boasted that he is the best man to take over power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Wike also called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates not to sell their votes, but to consider him as the ideal candidate.

    In his facebook post, Omoyele Sowore referred to Governor Wike as criminally-minded, corrupt, and a murderous thug without substantiating the claim.

    “The criminally-minded, corrupt, thug and murderous Nyesom Wike too has declared to become Nigeria’s President. We really can’t continue like this!” #Noto PDP&APC,” he wrote.

    Omoyele Sowore contested for presidency under the auspices of African Action Congress AAC in the 2019 Presidential Elections.

  • Trial of Sowore stalled as case reassigned to new judge

    Trial of Sowore stalled as case reassigned to new judge

    The trial of Omoyele Sowore, Convener, #RevolutionNow, in the alleged treasonable felony was on Tuesday, stalled in a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja.
    The trial, which was to begin afresh today before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, could not proceed due to its re-assignment to another judge.
    Newsmen reports that Sowore is being tried alongside Olawale Bakare in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/235/19.
    Newsmen reports that the matter was before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu until April 12, 2021 was transferred to the Calabar Division of the FHC and the case file returned to the Chief Judge (CJ), Justice John Tsoho, who reassigned it to Justice Egwuatu.
    The matter, which was scheduled to commence afresh before Egwuatu, suffered a setback due to the development.
    Although counsel to the prosecution and defence were in court, including Sowore and Bakare, they were informed that the matter had been reassigned to Justice Emeka Nwite, the new judge who replaced Justice Anwuli Chikere, following her retirement.
    Newsmen gathered that some cases are being reassigned to Justice Nwite, including Sowore’s trial, in accordance with the CJ’s directive to FHC judges at the Abuja division.
    Newsmen also gathered at Nwite’s court that the matter was yet to get a date for the defendants to take fresh plea to the charges for the third time.
    The Department of State Services (DSS) had sued Sowore and Bakare for organising the #RevolutionNow protest on Aug. 5, 2019, which the government saw as an attempt to disrupt peace in the country.
    They were, however, charged with treasonable felony for organising the protests in parts of the country.
    The DSS later released them on bail following court order made by Justice Ojukwu.
    After his release, the security agency re-arrested Sowore inside the court.
    He was, however, released following nationwide condemnation.
    In February 2020, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) took over the case, amended the charges and re-arraigned Sowore and Bakare.
    Sowore and Bakare were initially standing trial on seven-count charge before the Federal Government amended the charges, reducing them to two, which borders on treasonable felony.
    The first count on the amended charge accused the publisher of the Sahara Reporter and his co-defendant of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
    Count two accused them of committing treasonable felony, contrary to Section 41(a) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under same section of the Act.
  • 2023 Elections: Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore enters presidential race

    2023 Elections: Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore enters presidential race

    Sahara Reporters publisher and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has officially joined the presidential race ahead of the 2023 general elections.

    Sowore disclosed the development in a post on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday morning.

    According to SaharaReporters, Sowore is expected to contest on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC).

    Recall that the activist, while accusing the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government of arresting and slamming fresh charges against him, stated that he would soon officially declare his presidential ambition.

    “They took me to their detention when they were tired; they came and call me that I should be going home.

    “So I’m heading home now, no reason to worry, we know why this is happening, they are afraid of the future, they are afraid Sowore will declare very soon and become the president of Nigeria; you can’t stop me”, he said in a post on his social media handle.

    This will be the second time the activist will be contesting for the position. He was the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 presidential election.

    Without any form of written or verbal address, Mr Sowore, in the early hours of Tuesday, shared a banner with the caption “SOWORE FOR PRESIDENT.”

    Although Mr Sowore did not give much details about his ambition on the shared banner, the former AAC presidential candidate had on Thursday, after his release from police detention in Abuja, promised not to back down.

    He said the recent petition filed against him by a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko, and his subsequent detention was sponsored by the APC-led government to stop his declaration.

    “I knew this is what’s going to happen and I’m not surprised that that’s what they did. But when we got here, I made it clear to everybody, all of the police officers involved, that I can’t write any statement and I won’t accept any kind of bail condition attached to my release,” he had said.

  • Sowore knocks Buhari, explains why he can’t attend late brother’s burial

    Sowore knocks Buhari, explains why he can’t attend late brother’s burial

    Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore has explained why he would be visibly missing at his younger brothers’s burial on Thursday.
    Olajide Sowore, the younger brother of former Presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore is due for burial on Thursday, September 9 in his hometown, Kiribo in Ondo State.
    While thanking Nigerians for the show of love, Omoyele in a terse message posted on his Facebook profile on Monday, said he won’t be attending the burial due to the court order which restricted him to Abuja the nation’s capital.
    Read full statement below:
    “Thank you all for reaching out with great love and kind words of consolation, support and solidarity over the tragic but still unexplained death of my dearest brother, Felix Olajide Sowore.
    “I send load of gratitude and love to all on behalf of of my entire family.
    “We should report to the public that despite the noise from Nigerian govt officials promising to “apprehend” my brother’s killers, we are not aware any security agency/ies carrying out rescue operations to free those purportedly abducted or investigating the identity of Jide’s murderers.
    It is not as though we expect anything from the failed Nigerian system that took our brother’s life, I feel that I owe you all an update on these matters.
    My dearest brother and childhood friend, Olajide Sowore will be buried on Thursday 9th of September 2021 at our hometown, Kiribo in Ese-Odo local government area of ondo state start from 10 AM.
    I won’t be able to attend because the despicable Muhammadu Buhari regime has since December 2019 restricted me by a court order issued by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu to Abuja.”
  • Police confirm killing of Sowore’s brother, five others kidnapped in Edo

    Police confirm killing of Sowore’s brother, five others kidnapped in Edo

    The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the killing of Felix Olajide Sowore, the younger brother of Sahara Reporters’ publisher, Omoyele Sowore.
    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Sowore, in a terse post Saturday morning, confirmed that his brother was killed by suspected herdsmen/kidnappers in Edo state.
    Edo Police spokesman, Kontongs Bello, said Olajide was killed by kidnappers around 6 am on Saturday.
    “This is to confirm to you that suspected kidnappers at about 0645hrs along the Lagos-Benin Expressway by Isuwa kidnapped five unidentified persons and in the process shot to death one Sowore Felix Olajide, male, a Pharmacy student of Igbinedion University Okada.
    “His remains have been deposited at IUTH Mortuary Okada while effort is ongoing to rescue the five kidnap victims. Search and rescue operation is ongoing.”
  • We’ll mount pressure on security agencies to fish out your brother’s killers, Keyamo tells bereaved Sowore

    We’ll mount pressure on security agencies to fish out your brother’s killers, Keyamo tells bereaved Sowore

    The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo has commiserated with publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore on the killing of his younger brother, Olajide Sowore earlier Saturday morning by gun wielding herdsmen.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the younger Sowore was killed by armed men suspected by witnessed to be herdsmen while travelling between Benin and Ondo on Saturday morning.

    Keyamo in a statement on Saturday said it was sad that such a young man as Olajide was cut down in his prime. He promised to join forces with other stakeholders to mount pressure on security agents to bring his killers to justice.

    “I read with deep sadness the reports on the senseless killing of your younger brother, Mr. Jide Sowore, a student of pharmacy at Igbinedion University, Okada, in Edo State, this morning. It is quite sad and regrettable that such a young man would be cut down in his prime by criminal elements.

    “Myself and other compatriots would be pressurising the law-enforcement agents to track down these killers without delay and bring them to justice. This, and many others around the country, must be checkmated with all arsenals at our disposal.

    “I urge you to take heart and remain committed to helping the nation find a lasting solution to some of these numerous challenges,” Keyamo said in a statement.

  • Sowore not shot in Abuja – Police

    Sowore not shot in Abuja – Police

    The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) says Mr Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters was not shot as being speculated in some sections social media.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the FCT, ASP Mariam Yusuf announced this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

    She said the clarification followed a viral message in some sections of the social media, purporting that Sowore was shot by a female assistant commissioner of police at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.

    The report said Sowore was allegedly shot during a protest at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.

    “There is no record of such incident as at the time of this report,” she said.

    Yusuf said police operatives had professionally restored calm at the Unity Fountain following attempts by a group of protesters to incite public disturbance.

    She said the protesters were resisted by police operatives to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.

    She enjoined FCT residents to remain calm and law abiding and pledged the commitment of the command to protect lives and property within the FCT.

  • Court grants Sowore N20m bail

    Court grants Sowore N20m bail

    A Wuse Zone II Magistrates’ Court, Abuja on Monday, admitted Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and leader of #RevolutionNow movement, bail to bail in the sum of N20 million.

    The court also admitted Peter Williams, Sanyaolu Juwon, Emmanuel Bulus and Damilare Ademila who were arraigned with Sowore, to bail on liberal terms in the sum of N1 million each.

    As part of the bail condition for Sowore as granted by Chief Magistrate Marble Segun- Bello, she ordered that one of his sureties must be a Federal civil servant on not less GL 12.

    Segun-Bello in addirion ordered that Sowore must report to the Chief Registrar’s office every Monday and Friday until the determination of the case.

    Furthermore, the Magistrate directed that Sowore must remain in Abuja, and said failure to comply with all the bail conditions would lead to the revocation of his bail and adjourned the matter until Feb. 5 for hearing by 11am.

    Sowore and the others were arraigned on Jan. 4 on three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and attempting to incite others.

    The defendants were arrested by the Special Weapons Tactical Team in Gudu, Abuja while protesting on Dec.31,2020.

    According to the prosecution, the defendants were seen carrying placards calling for a violent revolution. They however, all pleaded not guilty to the three count charges preferred against them.

    Following their not guilty plea, prosecuting counsel led by James Idachaba prayed the court for their remand at the Kuje Correctional Center as investigations into the charges were ongoing.

    However, the defendants’ counsel, Marshal Abubakar, attempted to make an oral application for their bail, urging the court to grant them bail on self recognition.

    Segun- Bello, however, ordered that the defendants file a formal bail application and adjourned the matter until Jan. 5 to hear the bail application.

    She had however scheduled for ruling on Jan. 8 after entertaining arguments on the bail application filed by counsel on Jan. 6.

    However, on Jan. 8, the court could not deliver the bail ruling as the defendants were not produced in court.

  • #RevolutionNow: Sowore, Bakare’s trial resumes

    The trial of Omoyele Sowore, Convener, #RevolutionNow, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare will on Wednesday resume before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Although the hearing was earlier scheduled to begin today, Tuesday, but absence of the presiding judge stalled the trial.

    At about 9a.m., Court 7 on the fourth floor of the building was empty aside from the court registrar and few workers doing their official assignment.

    On the case list attendance, Sowore’s case with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/956/2019 was on item nine according to the serial number.

    An inquiry by NAN on why the matter could not be heard today revealed that Justice Ijeoma was said to be sitting outside the court’s division.

    Sowore and Bakare were on December 24, 2019, released from the Department of State Services (DSS)’s custody by the Federal Government.

    Prior to this development, Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on December 17, 2019, fixed December 23, 2019, to hear from the DSS and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) why Sowore should not be released from custody.

    Sowore, through his lawyer, Falana had filed a motion ex-parte before Justice Ekwo to demand for his unconditional release from the DSS detention in pursuance of the release order made by Justice Ojukwu on November 6, 2019.

    However, the matter could not be heard and it was later reassigned to Justice Ahmed Mohammed.

    On December 23, 2019, Justice Mohammed recused himself from the suit brought by Sowore before him.

    Mohammed, who made his intention known to parties at the mention of the motion ex-parte with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1409/19, said his decision was due to a publication of bribery allegation against him by Sahara Reporters owned by Mr Sowore.

    The operatives of the DSS had rearrested Sowore shortly after a court proceeding on December 6, 2019 barely 24 hours of releasing him and his co-defendant, Bakare.

    Justice Ojukwu had fixed February 11 as the next adjourned date.

    However, Abubakar Malami, the AGF and Minister of Justice, had also, on December 13, 2019, announced his take over of the prosecution of Sowore in the charge of treasonable felony levied against him.

    The development came as a result of the criticism their rearrest had generated.

    Sowore, alongside Bakare, were on August 5, 2019, arrested and charged by the DSS with treasonable felony, money laundering, among others.