Sowore drops DSS boss, Tosin Ajayi as witness in Tinubu defamation trial

Presidential candidate of the of the African Alliance Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has dropped his plan to feature the Director General of the Department of the State Service, DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi as his witness in his trial over alleged defamation of President Bola Tinubu.

Sowore on Tuesday admitted that the evidence in respect of which he had earlier subpoenaed the DSS boss can be obtained from any other official of the service.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, led the Federal Government in the trial.

Fagbemi had objected to the subpoena issued to invite Ajayi on the ground that the document he was to give evidence upon was not authored by him but another person who had testified in the matter.

Fagbemi argued that the letter written to Sowore to pull down a post in which he called President Tinubu a criminal had been tendered and admitted as exhibit twice by the same court, hence, no reason for it to be tendered the third time.

The AGF argued that the author of the letter, Mr Uwen Davis, had on July 22, 2026, testified for Sowore in the trial and that the document is already in the custody of the court.

Olumide Fusika, SAN, who appeared for Sowore had objected to the appearance of Fagbemi in the matter on the ground that Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, was the Federal Government lawyer on the court’s record.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned till Monday August 3, 2026 for continuation of defense by the defendant.