By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA– The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, rejected an evidence that President Bola Tinubu had in 2011, called former President Goodluck Jonathan a drunkard.
The exhibit which an activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, who is answering to a cybercrime charge, tendered before the court, alleged that Tinubu equally called the then President Jonathan “a sinking fisherman.”
Trial Justice Mohammed Umar declined to admit the exhibit in evidence, stressing that a witness, through whom the defendant sought to tender the printed document, distanced himself from it.
The witness, Mr. Cyril Nosike, who was identified as an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), had while being cross-examined by Sowore’s lawyer, Mr. Abubakar Marshal, told the court that he was not aware that President Tinubu made such remarks against ex-President Jonathan.
Based on the stance of Mr. Nosike who is the first prosecution witness, PW-1, in the matter, counsel to the DSS, Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, challenged the admissibility of the printed document.
He insisted that the exhibit did not meet the threshold of admissibility as enunciated in the Evidence Act, since the witness was not the maker of the document.
Sowore’s lawyer had asked the witness if he was aware that as at 2011, President Tinubu was a major opposition figure, a question the PW-1 declined to answer, insisting he would not want to comment on such issue.
Asked if he was aware that as at 2011, Tinubu called the then President Jonathan “corrupt and shameless,” the witness answered in the negative.
Meantime, following a similar objection by the prosecution counsel, the court rejected another document that Sowore’s lawyer sought to tender, which alleged that Tinubu had also called former President Olusegun Obasanjo “an expired meat.”
Earlier in the proceedings, Sowore’s lawyer asked the witness if he had any evidence to show that corruption has ended in Nigeria, a question that answered in the negative.
Asked if there is corruption in Nigeria? The witness said he was not in the position to answer the question.
“My Lord, he is asking for my opinion. I am not here to give an opinion,” the PW-1 added.
Asked if he was aware that the DSS had in December 2025, dismissed 115 officers for corruption, the witness said he could only recall that the officers were dismissed on the strength of on internal investigation and not corruption allegation.
Asked if he was aware that in 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged five former Governors for corruption, the witness said he was not aware.
Also asked if he was aware that in 2025, the EFCC arrested officials of the NNPCL over a N7. 2bn fraud, the witness said he was not aware.
Asked if he was aware that in 2025, the EFCC dismissed 27 officers for fraud and misconduct, the witness said he was not aware.
Confirming that he monitors the cyberspace 24 hours, the witness said he only concentrates on issues bordering on national security and not matters that are outside his mandate.
Asked if the dismissal of 115 officers by the DSS was not enough to attract his attention, the witness said it was not part of his duty.
At this juncture, the defence counsel produced publications about the dismissal of DSS officers for corruption.
When he asked the witness to look at the document and confirm that the case against the officers bordered on fraud and corruption, the PW-1 said he could not do so because he was not part of the process that led to the dismissal of the officers.
The witness also denied knowledge of the global corruption ranking, adding that he was not equally aware of the Transparency International’s Corruption Index.
Asked if he was aware that Nigeria ranked 140 out of 180 countries in the global corruption index, the witness said he was not aware.
Answering more questions under cross-examination, the witness said though he knows Chief Femi Fani Kayode (FFK) as an Ambassador-designate, he said he was not aware that he was a vocal critic of President Tinubu.
Asked if he was aware of a trending issue on social media where FFK claimed that Tinubu knew about the death of Chief Funsho Williams, his political opponent in Lagos State that was gruesomely murdered, the witness said he was not aware.
Asked if he was aware that the DSS screened FFK as an Ambassador-designate, the witness said he was not aware.
The witness however admitted that he has heard of Chief Funsho Williams, but said he could not recall that he was murdered in Lagos while Tinubu was the governor of the state.
The PW-1 further denied knowledge of any video by another Ambassador-designate, Mr. Reno Omokri, accusing Tinubu of complicity in Chief William’s murder.
He also told the court that he was not aware that Mr. Omokri staged protests in London where he accused Tinubu of being a drug lord.
Justice Umar adjourned the case till March 5 to enable the defence lawyer to conclude his cross-examination of the witness.
Sowore is facing trial for calling President Tinubu a “criminal” in a publication he made on social media platforms.
He is facing a two-count amended charge that was preferred against him by the federal government.
The contentious post the defendant made on August 25, 2025, came after President Tinubu, while on an official visit in Brazil, claimed his administration had successfully ended corruption in Nigeria.
Irked by Sowore’s reference to President Tinubu as a “criminal,” the Department of State Services (DSS) wrote to two social media platforms, X (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook), demanding a ban on the defendant’s account as well as removal of the vexatious statement.
The security agency equally wrote a letter to the activist, asking him to delete the post from all the platforms it was shared on.
However, the charge came after both Sowore and the social media platforms refused to accede to the request by the DSS.
According to the prosecution, the purpose of Sowore’s post was to cause a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on President Tinubu’s personality.
It added that the defamatory publication was aimed to tarnish the personality and reputation of President Tinubu.
FG alleged that he committed offences contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) and 24(2) (a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under the same section.
Among exhibits tendered before the court included a printout of Sowore’s posts on X and Facebook, as well as the letters DSS wrote to the two platforms.
The defendant, who was initially docked before the court on December 2, 2025, and later re-arraigned on January 19, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
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