Lawyer Warns Against Prosecuting Sowore Before Elections

Aloy Ejimakor, the legal consultant for Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has cautioned against the prosecution of Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), describing it as a "dangerous gamble." In a post on his verified X handle on Thursday, Ejimakor urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the decision to prosecute Sowore for a social media post, labeling it trivial. He referenced the historical political trial and conviction of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the 1960s, which he argued contributed to a military coup and civil war in Nigeria.

Ejimakor criticized the surprise court appearance of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, on July 27, stating it was a missed opportunity to halt the prosecution. He emphasized that subjecting a presidential candidate to trial close to the general election creates negative democratic optics, projecting weakness and fear of opposition.

Ejimakor called for the discontinuation of the case to protect Nigeria's democratic stability.