Following Omoyele Sowore’s remand in the Kuje Correctional Centre by a Federal High Court in Abuja, a media adviser to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, made fun of the human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC).
After Sowore skipped out on court appearances for his continuing criminal prosecution, Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court ordered his remand.
In response to the news, Olayinka posted on his social media account, claiming that Sowore ought to have known the repercussions of violating his bail terms.
“A criminal trial is imminent against you. Bail has been granted to you. “No be everything be Cashtivism,” Olayinka said, referring to the fact that you did not show up to court throughout the trial without providing adequate explanations.
The comment seemed to be a jab at Sowore’s actions and his history of critiquing governmental entities and leaders.
Sowore had explained his decision to skip court by saying he needed to confer with his new legal team, which included Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olumide-Fusika, SAN. He said that the judge still ordered his remand even though his lawyer had already told the court why he was absent.
In addition to claiming he was unconcerned about the news, Sowore urged his followers to keep fighting injustice, persecution, and misrule and said that incarceration has never triumphed over a just cause.
Since then, Olayinka’s remarks have sparked conversations on social media, where proponents and detractors of the two men have voiced their opinions on the activist’s nonappearance and the court’s ruling.
