Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a final warning to the presidential candidate of the African Alliance Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, to resume his defence in the defamation of President Bola Tinubu charges filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) or be foreclosed.

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar issued the warning yesterday following the absence of Sowore’s lead counsel, Mr Olumide Fusika, and Reuben Adakole at the proceedings.

At the July 13 proceedings, Sowore, through Adakole, sought a long adjournment until after the court’s vacation, a request the Judge denied.

Adakole had applied that the defence of his client in the charge be shifted till after the two-month yearly vacation of the court.

The activist who is on trial for allegedly calling Tinubu a criminal on his Facebook page and X handle had predicated his request for a long adjournment on the ground that his choice lawyer, Olumide Fusika, was out of the country to attend to family matters.

His request, however, was vehemently opposed by counsel to the DSS, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde, who drew the court’s attention to 10 previous adjournments the trial suffered at the instance of Sowore.

The senior lawyer had told Justice Umar that the latest request for a long adjournment was a ploy and an act of further frustration in the criminal trial.

Kehinde also drew the attention of the court to the day-to-day accelerated trial granted in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice System (ACJA) 2015.

In a brief ruling, Justice Umar had turned down the application for a long adjournment, citing the court’s previous order for a day-to-day trial.

The Judge subsequently ordered Sowore to be in court on July 16 for the continuation of his defense in the charge.

However, at yesterday’s proceedings, Sowore was present in court, but neither of his two lawyers was in court, and there was no explanation.