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Oyetola, APC, INEC urge Appeal Court to uphold Osun election
….Court reserves judgments on four appeals
The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to uphold the victory of Oyetola and APC in the governorship election held in the state on September 22 and 27, 2018.
Their request is contained in three separate appeals they filed against the majority judgment given by the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal on March 22, 2019.
The tribunal had, in the majority judgment, given by two of its three members upheld the petition by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the election, Senator Ademola Adeleke and voided Oyetola and APC’s victory.
In their appeals, argued on Wednesday, Oyetola, the APC and INEC prayed the five-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Jummai Sankey, to set aside the majority decision of the tribunal, uphold their appeals and dismiss the October 16, 2018 petition by Adeleke and the PDP.
They equally urged the court to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by Adeleke, on the grounds that it is unmeritorious.
In the appeal by Oyetola, his lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) faulted the reasons given by the tribunal in reaching the judgment appealed against, arguing that the decision was not supported by the evidence led by the petitioners.
He urged the court to void the judgment because the judge, Justice Peter Obiorah who wrote and delivered it, did not participate in all the proceedings of the tribunal.
Olanipekun noted that “the judge, who did not sit, came to write the leading judgment and reviewed the evidence of the February 6, 2019 proceedings where he was absent.
“Adjudication is like video watching. It cannot be done by proxy. The judge cannot analyse the evidence of a witness, whose demeanor he did not observe. The judgement should be declared a nullity on this ground alone”
Olanipekun, who said he and some named senior lawyers were at the tribunal on February 6, 2019, faulted the argument by lawyer to Adeleke and the PDP that it was not clear from the record of proceedings, whether or not Justice Obiorah was absent on the particular day.
He argued that the judge’s failure to sigh at the end of the proceedings on February 6, 2019 was enough evidence to justify the appellant’s claim that Justice Obiorah was absent on the day in question.
Olanipekun also faulted the tribunal’s cancellation of results in 17 polling units in the state, and noted that the petitioners did not tender any result of the election before the tribunal.
“If there was no result before the tribunal, the tribunal could not have cancelled what was not before it. Since no single result was submitted and could not have been cancelled,” he said.
He argued that the tribunal went beyond its powers by annulling results in the 17 polling units in order to justify its the judgement it gave in favour of the petitioners.
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Lawyer to the APC, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), while arguing the party’s appeal, contended that the tribunal was wrong to have allowed the petition, which was incurably incompetent.
“The 1st and 2nd respondents sought to be declared winner of the election, held on September 22, 2018, which was declared inconclusive. They also asked the tribunal to void the rerun election held on September 27, 2018, because they believed it was unlawful.
“You cannot say you should be declared a winner on the election that you said was unlawful and void,” he said.
Olujinmi accused the tribunal of exceeding its jurisdiction when it engaged in amending the petitioners’ reliefs to make them grantable.
“No tribunal has the jurisdiction to reframe, amend or formulate reliefs for the petitioners.
“On realising that the reliefs could not be granted, they (members of the tribunal) amended the reliefs and granted it by themselves.
“We are saying the tribunal has no power to amend a petitioner’s reliefs. The much they ought to do, on realising that the reliefs could not be granted, was to have dismissed the petition.”
He further faulted the tribunal for holding that the petitioners proved its case of non-compliance in respect of the polling units where it voided results.
Olujinmi added: “The tribunal was wrong. They cannot use the allegation of non-compliance directed at the election of September 27 against the election of September 22.
“The tribunal relied on certified true copy of Form EC8A, which they said were dumped on the tribunal. This was what they still relied on to nullify results in the polling units in which they said malpractices were proved. The so called non-complaince did not affect the result of the election,” Olujinmi said.
He argued that the tribunal went outside its powers and contravened Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act when it engaged in the deduction of votes from the outcome of the election to arrive at the decision it gave.
Lawyer to INEC, Yusuf Ali (SAN) who argued in similar manner, contended that the tribunal erred in its majority judgment, particularly as regards the issue of non-compliance.
He noted that the tribunal, having found that accreditation was properly done and that all witnesses agreed that the votes scored were not affected by the omissions noted in some result sheets, ought not to have voided any results.
Citing Section 134 (b) of the Electoral Act, Ali argued that non-compliance means not compliance with the provision of the Act, not an act of omission on the part of INEC officials, which are not contrary to the provision of the Act.
Ali also argued that since the tribunal held that the petitioners did not prove over-voting and non-compliance, it ought not to have turned around to void votes in some polling units.
On the question of why INEC did not call it witnesses at the tribunal, Ali said it was unnecessary because the petitioners did not discharge the burden of prove placed on them by the law to warrant INEC to call fresh witnesses.
Ali added: “There is no law that said INEC most call witnesses, since the petitioners could not discharge the responsibility of proving their declarative reliefs, there was no need for INEC to have called its own witnesses.”
Lawyer to Adeleke and the PDP, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) faulted the three appeals and the arguments proffered by Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Ali.
Ikpeazu argued that the tribunal was right in its decision to have declared Adeleke and his party as the winner of the election.
He faulted the argument that Justice Obiorah did not participate in all the proceedings of the tribunal, arguing that there was no sufficient evidence to that effect.
Ikpeazu urged the court to dismiss the three appeals and uphold the judgment of the tribunal.
Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), who argued Adeleke’s cross-appeal, urged the court to allow his client’s appeal and reverse the portion of the judgment, where the tribunal rejected the evidence the petitioners lead in relation to six polling units.
Ogunwumiju argued that the tribunal wrongly excluded some of its evidence, because while it called 23 witnesses to prove it’s allegation of non-compliance in 23 polling units, the tribunal only upheld 17 where it voided elections.
Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Ali argued that the cross appeal was incompetent on several grounds and urged the tribunal to reject it.
At the conclusion of proceedings that lasted over eight hours, the presiding judge, Justice Sankey said judgments would be reserved till a later date.
She told parties that the date of the judgment would be communicated to them by the court’s Registry.
Other members of the court’s five-man panel are: Justices Abubakar Datti Yahaya, Ita George Mbaba, Isaiah Olufemi Akeju and Bitrus Sanga.
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The Federal Government has announced ten new measures to reduce the pain Nigerians feel from high fuel prices. It insists, however, that none of them brings back the old fuel subsidy for everyone.
The measures were presented by the Federal Ministry of Finance at a press briefing on Thursday, 8 October 2026, titled “Fuel Prices and the Subsidy Question.” The government admitted its earlier steps fell short. According to the presentation, “These measures do not fully relieve the pressure households feel today, so the government is going further.”
The government described the new package as “Help that is targeted, temporary and affordable.” In plain terms, the help is meant for those who need it most, will not last forever, and is designed so that the country can pay for it.
Cheaper petrol and more cash support
The first measure is a discount on petrol sold at NNPC filling stations. The discount will last for the next 30 days, and public transporters, such as commercial bus and taxi operators, will get priority. The government hopes this will help keep transport fares from rising further.
The government also plans to increase cash transfers to vulnerable households. Small businesses will get cheaper loans, known as subsidised credit, to help them cope with higher running costs.
Steps to keep pump prices steady
To protect Nigerians from sudden jumps in world oil prices, the government will sell crude oil in advance to local refineries. This is expected as oil production rises and crude previously committed to other purposes becomes available. The presentation says this will shield “pump prices from global swings.” ShopAfrican Art
The government will also introduce what it calls price modulation. Under this plan, a negotiated limit of ₦1,350 per litre will apply to the ex-gantry price (the price at the depot) or the landing cost (the cost of bringing the fuel into the country). The limit will be reviewed every month, so it can change as conditions change.
A National Strategic Fuel Reserve will also be set up. Fuel from the reserve will be released “under published rules when disruption or hoarding threatens supply.” This means the government can step in when fuel becomes scarce or when marketers hold back products to push up prices.
Lowering the cost of transport and doing business
The government says part of what Nigerians pay for transport comes from illegal charges on the roads. It will work with state governments under the 2025 tax laws to rein in road taxes that push up fares.
It will also speed up the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a cheaper alternative to petrol, again working with the states. Transporters who benefit from cheaper fuel are expected to “pass savings on in lower fares” to passengers.
Other steps target the cost of goods and services more broadly. The government will cut regulatory costs, described as red tape, that “feed into the price of goods and services.” It will also ease traffic in cities to save fuel, and it will use NIPOST address codes to reduce the cost of moving goods from one place to another.
One measure has not yet been decided. The government is considering an excess profit tax on operators it says exploit consumers. If it goes ahead, the money raised will fund transport support and vouchers for low-income earners.
No return to blanket subsidy
The ministry ended the presentation with a clear message, “None of these measures restores a blanket subsidy.” The government is therefore not returning to the old system, where fuel was sold cheaply to everyone. It says its new approach will reach “the people who need help without putting the wider economy at risk.”
The announcement comes as many households as possible, and businesses struggle with the high cost of transport, food, and other goods linked to fuel prices. How much relief Nigerians feel will depend on how quickly and effectively these measures are carried out, and whether transporters and marketers pass the benefits on to consumers.
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Nigeria Emerges as Africa’s Biggest Climber in Investment Risk Ranking on Back of Tinubu’s Economic Reforms
Nigeria has emerged as the biggest climber in Africa’s latest investment risk ranking, rising four places to eighth position as economic reforms implemented by President Bola Tinubu improved the country’s relative attractiveness to investors, a new report by Bloomberg has stated.
Nigeria overtook Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia in the 2026 Bloomberg Economics Investment Risk-O-Meter, which assesses the relative investability of 19 African economies.
Bloomberg, in the report released on Monday, said Nigeria’s improvement was driven by stronger performance in three of the five indicators used in the assessment: economic strength, fiscal strength and external vulnerability.
“Nigeria was the biggest climber in a ranking of Africa’s most investable markets, propelled by President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, according to the findings of the latest edition of An Investor’s Guide to Africa.
“The continent’s biggest oil producer and refiner rose four places to eighth in the 2026 Bloomberg Economics Investment Risk-O-Meter, overtaking Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia as it improved in three of the five metrics assessed by the gauge: economic strength, fiscal strength and external vulnerability,” Bloomberg reported.
The development puts Nigeria among the biggest gainers on the continent, despite ongoing concerns about the country’s high public debt, cost of living, inflation, infrastructure deficit and foreign exchange pressures.
Mauritius emerged as the most investable African market in the latest ranking, while Botswana fell two places. South Africa, which topped the ranking in the previous edition, also dropped one place following a weaker economic growth outlook.
Nigeria’s improved position comes more than three years after Tinubu assumed office and embarked on a series of major economic reforms aimed at restructuring the country’s fiscal and monetary environment.
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Among the most significant measures were the removal of the petrol subsidy, reforms to the foreign exchange market and changes to electricity tariffs.
The Federal Government has repeatedly defended the reforms as necessary to address distortions that had weighed on public finances, discouraged investment and placed pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
However, the policies have also increased economic hardship for households and businesses, particularly through higher transport, food and energy costs. Despite the adjustment pains, Nigeria’s economy has continued to expand during the period under review.
Real Gross Domestic Product growth rose from 2.54 per cent in the third quarter of 2023 to 3.46 per cent in the fourth quarter of that year.
The economy subsequently grew by an average of 3.19 per cent in 2024 before accelerating to 3.85 per cent in 2025, its strongest annual performance within the period covered by the assessment.
Growth stood at 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, bringing the average quarterly growth between the third quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2026 to about 3.46 per cent.
The stronger growth performance has come alongside efforts by the government to increase revenue, reduce fiscal leakages and attract investment into critical sectors of the economy.
Nigeria’s improved position in the Bloomberg ranking, however, comes against the backdrop of a substantial increase in public debt.
Data from the Debt Management Office showed that Nigeria’s total public debt stood at N87.38tn as of June 30, 2023, shortly after Tinubu took office. By December 31, 2025, the figure had risen to N159.28tn. This represents an increase of N71.90tn, or about 82.3 per cent, in two and a half years.
The increase was driven by new borrowing, foreign exchange adjustments and the securitisation of certain legacy obligations, according to the DMO.
The development is significant for a country that has struggled for years to attract sufficient foreign capital because of concerns over exchange-rate instability, policy uncertainty, weak infrastructure, insecurity and limited fiscal space.
The reforms under the Tinubu administration have sought to address some of these constraints by allowing market forces a greater role in determining fuel prices, foreign exchange rates and electricity tariffs.
The foreign exchange reforms, in particular, were designed to reduce multiple exchange rates and improve transparency in the currency market, while the removal of the petrol subsidy was intended to reduce the government’s fiscal burden.
The electricity tariff reforms were also aimed at improving the financial viability of the power sector and encouraging investment by allowing electricity prices for some customer categories to better reflect supply costs.
Nigeria’s rise in the Bloomberg ranking therefore marks an improvement in its relative position among African investment destinations, even as investors continue to monitor the sustainability of its reforms, debt burden and economic growth.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected back in Abuja this evening after concluding a six-day stay in Lagos, the Presidency announced on Monday.
The President will depart Lagos for the Federal Capital Territory after a visit during which he participated in activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day anniversary and held other engagements. SahelSecurity Report
Tinubu arrived in Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, following his annual holiday in London and Paris.
While in Lagos, the President addressed Nigerians on October 1 to mark the country’s 66th Independence Day anniversary.
Later that day, he attended the national premiere of MKO, a documentary chronicling the life, political struggle, and legacy of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, as well as the historic June 12 pro-democracy struggle.
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The premiere was held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the President’s return to Abuja in a State House statement issued on Monday.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Lagos for Abuja this evening after his six-day visit to the former seat of government,” Onanuga said.
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