By Uche Amunike
The Department of State Services (DSS) has directed its private counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to seek an adjournment of the alleged cyber-bullying case involving African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, until after the 2027 presidential election, which will take place on January 16, 2027.
The development followed a meeting between the DSS Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, senior counsel and top officials of the agency’s legal directorate on August 20, a day after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially lifted the ban on political campaigns.
According to a close source to the DSS legal team, the meeting considered the possibility of suspending the case to allow Omoyele Sowore to fully exercise his constitutional right to contest the forthcoming presidential election.
‘The DSS boss reportedly told the Senior Advocate and his directorate of legal services that, with the commencement of presidential campaigns, it would only be fair to pause the court case in order to enable Sowore fully participate in the upcoming elections without let or hindrance,’ the source said.
According to the source, the DSS leadership also noted that the case had already been before the court for almost a year and that delaying proceedings for a few more months would not significantly affect the matter.
The agency is expected to formally communicate its position on the proposed adjournment to the Federal High Court from September 14, 2026, when the court is expected to resume regular proceedings following its annual judicial vacation.
The proposed suspension would enable Omoyele Sowore to participate in the 2027 presidential election without being distracted by the pending court proceedings.
The DSS had instituted the case following social media posts made by Sowore on August 25, 2025, on his X handle and Facebook page, in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a ‘criminal.’
The agency sought the court’s interpretation of whether the posts amounted to cyber-bullying and whether it was lawful to describe the President or any other individual as a criminal without judicial determination.
Following the posts, the DSS reportedly gave Sowore seven days to remove them. He allegedly declined to comply after the expiration of the ultimatum.
The agency subsequently approached the court on September 16, 2025, seeking adjudication on the matter without inviting or arresting the politician.
The DSS had explained that the case was aimed at obtaining judicial clarification on the propriety of such descriptions. It likened the action to its separate request for judicial interpretation of the legality of Professor Pat Utomi’s proposed ‘Shadow Government.’
In a September 6, 2025 letter to Meta Corporation, the DSS also maintained that its statutory responsibility to protect the President extended beyond physical threats to psychological attacks.
However, counsel to the DSS, A.T. Kehinde, SAN, confirmed the decision to seek an adjournment, describing it as consistent with the approach of the current DSS Director-General.
‘We will seek the indulgence of the court for the adjournment,’ Kehinde said.
