Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has vowed to make judicial reform a top priority if elected president in 2027, insisting that restoring justice to Nigeria's legal system is key to tackling the country's worsening insecurity, poverty and political instability.

Sowore made the declaration on Thursday after proceedings in his ongoing trial before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is facing charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a "criminal."

Speaking with journalists outside the courtroom, the human rights activist criticised both the prosecution and the manner in which the case has been handled, alleging that political considerations, rather than the pursuit of justice, were driving the proceedings.

According to him, the conduct of the trial has changed significantly since he was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, claiming that while the prosecution initially sought lengthy adjournments during his detention, it later began pushing for day-to-day hearings after realising that imprisonment had failed to weaken his resolve.

"What's interesting is that when I was sent to Kuje Prison, they were generous with adjournment dates. They weren't asking for day-to-day trial at that time. I was getting one week. That's how I spent nine days in prison," Sowore said.

"But the moment they saw that we are beating the Kuje game, they came and wanted to do day-to-day. Day-to-day trial is meant for the court to decide and not for the prosecutor to impose."

Sowore disclosed that he had formally challenged the continued handling of the case by Justice Umar, saying he no longer had confidence in the court's ability to guarantee a fair hearing.

He argued that, under normal circumstances, the judge should have recused himself once concerns about impartiality were raised, especially since there were several other judges available to hear the matter.

"We have also made it clear that we no longer have confidence in this court. We have filed the necessary applications. Normally, if this were a normal situation, the judge would have respectfully said, 'If there is no confidence in my handling of this case, I will step aside.' There are over 13 judges in this court. What is the big deal?" he asked.

Suggesting that politics was influencing the case ahead of the 2027 general election, Sowore claimed President Tinubu was threatened by his growing popularity among Nigerians.

"But we know the big deal," he said. "The big deal is that there is an election coming. Tinubu is mortally, mortally afraid."

The AAC presidential candidate claimed his political movement was gaining widespread grassroots support despite lacking the financial resources often deployed during election campaigns.

According to him, unlike traditional politicians, his movement does not rely on distributing money or gifts to attract supporters.

"That's the popularity that has happened within the grassroots. We are not paying a dime. We are not distributing bread, soap, rice or even bitter kola. No TomTom, no kuli-kuli, no akara. People are simply saying, 'Sowore has come.' That's what it is all about," he said.

Reiterating his vision for Nigeria, Sowore said comprehensive reforms of the judiciary would be among the first priorities of his administration if he assumes office in 2027.

He argued that a functional justice system is essential to rebuilding public trust in government and strengthening democratic institutions.

"We are here to provide the leadership this country needs to make Nigeria work, including fixing the judiciary," he said.

"One of our number one priorities when we take over power in this country, after the revolution as we like to say, is to reform the judiciary so that there can be genuine dispensation of justice."

He added that he had wanted to remind the trial judge that "the burden of justice is lighter than the burden of injustice."

Sowore further argued that many of Nigeria's long-standing security and governance challenges were rooted in decades of institutional injustice, saying the country's failure to uphold justice had fuelled violent conflicts and social unrest.

According to him, insurgency, banditry and militancy are symptoms of deeper structural problems that successive governments have failed to address.

"What is killing Nigeria today is the burden of injustice at every point and every opportunity Nigeria had to perpetrate injustice," he said.

"That is why you have Boko Haram. That is why you have bandits. That is why you have militants. All of them are linked to institutional and historical injustices that Nigeria has inflicted on its citizens, whether on ethnic, cultural, economic or judicial grounds."

He maintained that addressing those injustices through far-reaching institutional reforms would be critical to achieving lasting peace, national unity and sustainable development.

Sowore has consistently maintained that the charges brought against him by the DSS are politically motivated and intended to silence opposition voices and critics of the Tinubu administration.

Despite the ongoing trial, he insisted that his political campaign remains focused on ending corruption, strengthening democratic institutions, reforming the judiciary and delivering accountable leadership capable of restoring public confidence in government and improving the lives of Nigerians.