The Department of State Services (DSS) has directed its private counsel, Akinolu Kehinde, SAN, to take steps to suspend the alleged cyberbullying case against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore until after the 2027 presidential election.
The move followed a meeting between DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi, the senior lawyer and top officials of the agency’s legal directorate on August 20, according to a source close to the DSS counsel.
Key Highlights
- DSS is reportedly seeking to pause the Sowore cyberbullying case until after the 2027 election.
- Sowore is expected to contest the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
- The proposed suspension is intended to allow him to participate fully in the election campaign.
- DSS is expected to formally approach the Federal High Court when it resumes sittings on September 14, 2026.
- The case centres on Sowore’s social media posts describing President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
- Sowore reportedly declined a DSS directive to delete the posts.
DSS Considers Four-Month Suspension
According to the source, the August 20 meeting considered suspending the case to enable Sowore to participate fully in the electoral process as the 2027 presidential campaign gathers momentum.
“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.
The source added that Ajayi argued that the case had already been before the court for nearly a year and that suspending proceedings for about four months would not significantly affect the matter.
“The DSS boss told the lawyers that, since the matter had been in court for nearly a year, suspending it for another four months wouldn’t make much difference,” the source added.
Case May Resume After 2027 Election
The DSS is expected to formally communicate its position to the Federal High Court from September 14, 2026, when the court is scheduled to resume normal proceedings after the annual judicial vacation.
If the court grants the request, the case would remain in abeyance during the presidential campaign and the 2027 election period.
The development could temporarily remove a legal matter that has followed Sowore into the build-up to the presidential election.
How the DSS-Sowore Case Started
Sowore made the social media posts at the centre of the case on August 25, 2025, through his X account and Facebook page.
Following the posts, the DSS reportedly gave him seven days to delete them. He declined to comply with the directive.
The DSS subsequently approached the Federal High Court over the posts, seeking a judicial determination on whether referring to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” amounted to cyberbullying.
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The agency said the case was intended to obtain judicial clarification on whether it was lawful to describe President Tinubu, or any other individual, as a criminal without a court pronouncement establishing such status.
The proposed suspension of the case will now depend on the formal position presented before the Federal High Court and any decision subsequently made by the court.
