AAC Accuses ARISE News, Other Media Outlets of Misrepresenting Sowore’s Court Proceedings

The African Action Congress (AAC) has accused ARISE News and several other Nigerian media organisations of publishing misleading reports about court proceedings involving its 2027 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.

The party alleged that reports claiming Sowore’s lawyer admitted ignorance of the Evidence Act distorted the proceedings and raised concerns about the accuracy and independence of the media organisations’ coverage.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex I. Elanu, the AAC criticised reports published by ARISE News, Channels Television, The Guardian, The New Citizen, Peoples Daily, Voice of Nigeria and Forefront Nigeria, among other outlets.

The party questioned the similarities in the headlines used by different organisations, arguing that they raised concerns about whether the reports had been independently verified before publication.

The controversy followed proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Treasure Adefisoye, a member of Sowore’s legal team, was questioned by prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, about Section 83(3) of the Evidence Act.

According to a report by Voice of Nigeria published on October 27, Adefisoye said she was unfamiliar with the provision while the defence sought to tender printed copies of online media reports as evidence in the case.

The reports reportedly concerned claims that the Department of State Services (DSS) was considering suspending the trial until after the 2027 presidential election.

The prosecution challenged the admissibility of the documents, prompting questions about the relevant provision of the Evidence Act. The defence was seeking to introduce the reports as part of its case.

The AAC, however, argued that media coverage of the exchange presented a misleading narrative about Sowore and his legal team.

The party also accused the DSS of attempting to discredit its presidential candidate through what it described as manipulative information. It called for scrutiny of the agency’s activities under its Director-General, Tosin Ajayi.

These allegations were made by the party and have not been independently established by the available reports.

The AAC urged the affected media organisations to review their coverage and issue corrections or clarifications where necessary. It also called on journalists, editors, publishers and professional associations to uphold independent verification and responsible reporting.

The party maintained that press freedom should go hand in hand with accuracy and accountability, warning that misleading reports could undermine public confidence in the media.

Sowore is facing a case brought by the DSS over social media posts in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a criminal. The allegations against him remain subject to the court process.

The latest dispute highlights the competing accounts surrounding the proceedings and the importance of examining the court record, the context of the lawyer’s answers and the reports published by the media organisations before drawing conclusions about whether the coverage was misleading.