Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) has urged politicians in Oyo State to make their campaigns issue-based and stop attacking, abusing or calling one another names ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The council also urged political parties and their candidates to focus their campaigns on policies, programmes and ideas capable of addressing the challenges confronting the people of Oyo State and Nigeria.

The President-General of CCII, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, made the call in a statement issued on Saturday by the council’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Olomide.

Ajewole said political campaigns should provide an opportunity for candidates to explain their vision and plans to the electorate rather than becoming platforms for personal attacks and name-calling.

‘Our politicians should make their campaigns issue-based. They should stop attacking one another, abusing themselves and calling each other names.

‘Politics should not be about abusing or pulling down your opponents. It should be about telling the people what you intend to do for them if given the opportunity to serve,’ he said.

The CCII President-General urged candidates seeking elective positions to clearly explain their programmes and policies to the electorate, particularly how they intend to address the challenges facing the state and the country.

‘The people want to know what you will do differently. Tell them your plans for Oyo State. Tell them what you will do to improve education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, employment and the economy.

‘Those seeking national offices should also tell Nigerians what they will do to move the country forward. Let the people hear your ideas and compare your programmes instead of listening to attacks and name-calling,’ he said.

Ajewole stressed that political differences should not be allowed to destroy the bonds of unity and peaceful coexistence among the people of Oyo State.

He said candidates and their supporters should exercise restraint in their public statements, warning that inflammatory rhetoric could create unnecessary tension and distract the electorate from issues that directly affect their lives.

‘We must remember that after the elections, we will still remain brothers and sisters and we will continue to live together. Political disagreements should not make us enemies.

‘We therefore appeal to all our politicians to conduct their campaigns with maturity, decorum and respect for one another. Let the campaign be about ideas, programmes, policies and what each candidate can offer the people.

‘Politicians should caution their handlers, especially their media aides, social media handlers and bloggers, against attacking perceived political opponents. Political differences are normal, particularly as we approach the 2027 elections, but such differences should not degenerate into personal attacks, insults, character assassination or the spread of inflammatory content.’

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned that partisan leaning, administrative negligence and compromised ethics will not be tolerated among staff as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan gave the warning on Monday, 28 September 2026, in Kaduna while declaring open the North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 General Election.

The INEC Chairman told Electoral Officers, Heads of Departments and senior administrative staff from the North-West zone that the Commission would strictly enforce its Code of Conduct.

‘Partisan leaning, administrative negligence or compromised ethics will not be tolerated. Every officer must understand that protecting INEC’s institutional integrity is non-negotiable,’ he said.

He said the conduct of field staff was central to the credibility of any election, noting that false narratives gained traction when the Commission’s administrative execution faltered.

‘When a polling unit opens late, when an officer displays nonchalance or perceived bias, or when technical glitches are met with silence, we inadvertently validate cynics, deepen voter apathy and fuel disinformation,’ he said.

According to him, ‘the conduct, competence and character of our staff in the field are either our strongest defence against fake news or its biggest catalyst.’

Amupitan reminded officials of the oath of loyalty and neutrality required of all electoral officials and security personnel participating in elections under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026. He said the oath committed every officer to administering elections without favouring any candidate or political party.

‘The question must never be ‘Who will benefit from this decision?’ but always ‘What does the law require me to do?” he stated.

He cautioned staff against improvisation, saying informal shortcuts were dangerous in election administration. Where the law provides a procedure, whether in the Electoral Act 2026, Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 or guidelines for political parties, he said officers must follow it strictly.

He directed that operational difficulties should be escalated through formal institutional channels.

Amupitan stressed that a good legal framework and modern technology could not alone guarantee electoral credibility.

‘The credibility of an election depends on how faithfully the law is implemented by officials entrusted with its administration,’ he said.

He described staff as the face of the Commission in their communities.

‘To the voter in a local ward, INEC is not the Chairman in Abuja; INEC is you,’ he said.

He urged officials to ‘know the law, understand your responsibility, remain neutral, document your actions’, adding that every administrative decision must withstand public scrutiny and judicial review.

The INEC Chairman said the Kaduna meeting was a continuation of the six-zone Interactive Meetings and Readiness Assessment tour ahead of the 2027 General Election. He said the Commission was breaking with more than two decades of practice in which zonal preparations were coordinated through delegated structures or handled at the level of National Commissioners and headquarters directorates.

‘I am here with you in person, accompanied by National Commissioners and Directors, because I firmly believe that the true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is decided in the field,’ he said.

He recalled the Commission’s performance in recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun Governorship Election, and credited the outcome to the dedication of staff. He cautioned that ‘praise of yesterday raises expectations of tomorrow’, noting that the 2027 elections would be a simultaneous national exercise across the 36 states and the FCT.

Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, 16 January 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, 6 February 2027.

On staff welfare, Amupitan assured participants of the Commission’s commitment to their welfare and security. He said the Commission was at an advanced stage of implementing a new salary and welfare package and that, effective 1 January 2026, it established the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), which moved its workforce out of the regular Civil Service structure. He added that, from 1 July 2026, overheads to State Offices were increased by 150 per cent.

He announced that the Commission had commenced the procurement and distribution of new operational pick-up vehicles, which were being dispatched to State Offices and Local Government Areas nationwide to boost mobility, security and operational efficiency.

Earlier, in a welcome address, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the Kaduna meeting was the second in the six-zone tour after Lagos and was designed to rally staff to deliver the best election in Nigeria’s history.

Haruna disclosed that the collection of new Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) would commence early next month, noting that the INEC Chairman informed the Emir of Zazzau during a courtesy visit that the collection of newly printed PVCs would commence as scheduled. He appealed to traditional rulers to encourage eligible citizens to collect their cards and exercise their constitutional right to vote.

The Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, said the purpose of the zonal exercise was to assess the level of preparedness of states, identify operational challenges before the elections and ensure that staff across the zone remained aligned with the Commission’s Code of Conduct.

Directors and representatives from the Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, ICT, Human Resources, and Election and Operations departments also made presentations on their respective areas.

National Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress for worsening poverty and insecurity in Nigeria, promising to restore citizens’ confidence in governance if elected in 2027.

Obi spoke on Monday in Sokoto during a town hall meeting with members and supporters of the party, where he outlined his plans for security, education, agriculture, transportation and economic development.

He alleged that the APC-led administration had failed to adequately provide basic infrastructure and social interventions for Nigerians.

According to him, the situation had contributed to the worsening economic hardship confronting citizens across the country.

‘The current administration and some political leaders in the country have abandoned the citizenry without basic infrastructure and intervention. That is why the country is the highest poverty-stricken in the world,’ Obi alleged.

He said an NDC administration would prioritise security, education and agriculture in its efforts to rebuild the economy and restore hope among Nigerians.

‘We are committed to transforming the country under a united, secure and prosperous leadership of the NDC.

‘It is only the NDC that has the capacity and visionary policies that would reverse the system rot. No fake promises will come from us. You will see our commitment by keeping to our promises,’ he said.

On transportation, the former Anambra State governor described an efficient railway system as critical to economic growth, saying his administration would expand rail connectivity across the country.

He specifically promised to pursue rail links connecting Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states with other parts of the North-West and the country.

‘I will effectively ensure rail transport connects Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, the entire North-West and other regions,’ Obi said.

The NDC candidate also promised greater coordination between the president and vice-president, saying his proposed partnership with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso would ensure that both leaders worked towards the same objectives.

‘You will see how leadership works in the same direction. Myself and the Vice Presidential candidate will be working together the way you see us together in Sokoto today,’ he said.

On fuel subsidy, Obi said his administration would introduce a transparent system that would ensure Nigerians benefit from government interventions while eliminating opportunities for corruption.

He described the previous subsidy regime as having been undermined by corruption, promising to establish greater transparency in the management of the country’s oil and gas resources.

‘Myself and Kwankwaso will initiate a work plan that would transparently arrive at the quantum of crude, nature of transactions, import and export, and revenue accruing from every single oil and gas transaction and activity for the benefit of Nigerians,’ he said.

He further pledged to work with state governors, particularly in the North, to address insecurity and its impact on local economies.

According to him, banditry, kidnapping and terrorism have disrupted economic activities and development in many communities across the region.

Obi also promised to support farmers through fertiliser subsidies and other agricultural interventions aimed at increasing food production and strengthening food security.

He urged voters in Sokoto State to support the NDC, describing the state as strategically important to the party’s plans for the 2027 election.

Also speaking, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, accused the APC administration of failing to adequately address the challenges confronting Nigerians, particularly insecurity in the North-West.

Kwankwaso urged residents of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jigawa states to demand improved security and better economic opportunities.

He said the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket represented an attempt to provide a different approach to governance, particularly in tackling insecurity, poverty and underdevelopment.

The former Kano State governor said the North was still facing challenges in education, industrialisation and security, promising that an NDC administration would prioritise the sectors.

He cited previous political partnerships involving leaders from different regions and faiths, including the relationships between Sir Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe, Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme, Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar, and Goodluck Jonathan and Namadi Sambo.

Earlier, the NDC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Shamsuddeen Haido, urged party members and supporters to intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

The state chairman of the party, Bello Sani Yabo, described the town hall meeting as an opportunity for members to engage with the party’s proposed agenda for the country.

He assured that the party remained committed to working for victory in Sokoto State.

Meanwhile, Obi and Kwankwaso paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, where they sought his blessings ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has emphasised the need for sustained capacity building in competition reporting, describing the beat as a relatively new area in Nigeria that requires specialised knowledge among journalists, regulators and other stakeholders.

Speaking while hosting the newly elected executive members of the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, said reporting on competition was new to the country.

Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Operations, Louis Odion, Bello said the commission recognised the importance of strengthening the capacity of journalists covering competition and consumer protection issues.

‘It is true that competition reporting is new in our jurisdiction,’ he said, assuring the association that its request for training and engagement would receive due consideration and be followed up appropriately.

According to him, the relative novelty of competition law and consumer protection regulation in Nigeria has made stakeholder education a priority for the commission.

He disclosed that the FCCPC recently supported a training programme for judges through the National Judicial Institute (NJI) to deepen understanding of competition-related matters, noting that members of the judiciary also require exposure to the nuances of the emerging field.

‘We recognised that because it is a new terrain, the judges themselves are not familiar with the nuances. So we brought in experts on competition,’ he said.

Bello stressed that the media has a critical role in promoting public understanding of competition and consumer protection issues, commending commerce and industry journalists for helping to raise the profile of the commission in recent years.

He noted that many Nigerians were largely unaware of the FCCPC’s existence until recently, attributing growing public awareness of the commission’s activities to sustained media coverage.

‘If FCCPC is becoming more known to the public, it is as a result of the kind of publicity you have given us,’ he said. ‘When something happens here and we issue a statement, it often receives front-page treatment, and we do not take that for granted.’

The FCCPC boss also reiterated the commission’s commitment to supporting stakeholders within the limits of its resources, explaining that the agency funds much of its operations, including litigation, staff welfare and regulatory activities, from internally generated revenue.

Earlier, CICAN Abuja Chairman, Gabriel Kuma, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to constructive journalism and stronger engagement with regulatory institutions, including the FCCPC.

‘We are open to constructive reporting that holds institutions accountable. We believe that a strong regulator should have a strong media relationship, one built on openness, professionalism, mutual respect and access to accurate information,’ he said.

He urged the commission to deepen its engagement with key stakeholders, particularly the media and the organised private sector, to enhance public understanding of competition and consumer protection issues.

That is not an accident, and it is a pattern worth understanding before placing any online football betting at Premier Bet.

The clause that did the work

Frank Onyeka arrived first, and arrived cheaply. Brentford loaned him to Frank Lampard in February with a clause that converted the deal into a permanent transfer if Coventry went up. Onyeka played 14 times, scored once, and triggered his own move. The transfer took effect on July 1.

He left Brentford after 87 appearances in all competitions, having joined from Midtjylland in 2021. The clause meant Coventry never had to bid for a midfielder with five seasons of Premier League exposure banked, in a market where richer clubs were chasing the same profile.

A striker who has done this before

Taiwo Awoniyi is the more revealing signing. Coventry paid Nottingham Forest a reported £17m for him on August 17, and in doing so repeated an act of faith that Forest themselves made four years earlier.

In June 2022, days after winning promotion through the play-offs, Forest broke their club record to sign Awoniyi from Union Berlin for a fee in the region of £17.5m. He had scored 15 goals in 31 Bundesliga games. He repaid it in the way promoted clubs need most. His winner against Arsenal on May 20, 2023 kept Forest in the division, and that August he scored in six consecutive Premier League matches, a Forest run not managed since Stan Collymore in 1995.

He finished with 23 goals in 103 appearances, a return interrupted by the abdominal injury he suffered against Leicester City on May 11, 2025. Awoniyi needed emergency surgery and was placed in an induced coma. He did not play again until October 18, and did not score in the league again until January.

Coventry have signed a 29-year-old with a serious injury behind him and a record of scoring the specific goals that keep a promoted team up. Lampard is buying evidence rather than potential.

Why promoted clubs keep looking to Nigeria

Coventry are not alone. Hull City came up through the play-off final, beating Middlesbrough 1-0 at Wembley, and opened the season by beating Manchester United 2-0 at the MKM Stadium. Semi Ajayi scored the first goal after 17 minutes, on the club’s return to the division after nine years away.

The logic is consistent. Promoted clubs need production immediately and cannot pay established Premier League prices for it, so they shop where proven output is undervalued. Nigerian players who have delivered in the Championship or the Bundesliga sit squarely in that gap.

The other door has not closed. Brighton paid a reported £21.5m in June for the 18-year-old Zadok Yohanna, a record fee for a sale out of the Allsvenskan. But that is one signing against three, and it carries a different risk. Relegation sends a promoted club’s Nigerians back down together.

Eric Chelle will watch the Coventry pair closely. Awoniyi joined the September squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, and arrives with 10 caps and two international goals to his name.

The scale of the job was set out on the opening weekend. Coventry played their first top-flight match in 25 years at the Emirates on August 21 and lost 3-0 to the champions, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard scoring. Survival is not decided at grounds like that one, which is why Lampard spent his money on two players who have already come through a season of the fixtures that do decide it.

LAST week, I returned to Scotland, more than 11 years after completing my Ph.D. at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Energy Geoscience Infrastructure and Society. I landed in the cold City of Edinburgh on Sunday morning to the warm reception of my friend and leader of the Inspire Nigeria Group, Evong Evong. We attended service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Open Heaven Edinburgh, where old friends were pleasantly surprised to see me. My business destination was Aberdeen, but how could I return to Scotland without seeing the people who made Edinburgh memorable? Evong and his wife, Inire, would not let me leave without a sumptuous Efik lunch. I warned them that they must visit Dallas so my wife and I can retaliate appropriately.

A lesson for Nigeria from the United Kingdom

As always, Evong and I moved from family and Biblical discussions to politics. We discussed the 1707 Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England, under a renewed constitutional pressure after Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum. Evong and I have spent years discussing how our federation can work better. Through Inspire Nigeria Group, we submitted constitutional proposals to the National Assembly in 2024 advocating a less expensive parliamentary system and stronger regional federating units. If a centuries-old political union still requires continuous negotiation and accommodation, Nigeria cannot assume that nation-building runs on autopilot.

My £17.65 lesson

Our discussion made me change my Ember electric-bus booking twice-from 4:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., and finally 7:13 p.m. Evong dropped me at the station at about 6:40 p.m. Then the bus was delayed for nearly an hour. Every few minutes, the app updated me and apologised. The bus arrived around 8 p.m. I reclined my seat and slept until we arrived in Aberdeen around 11 p.m. At my hotel, I discovered Ember had already emailed me and refunded my £17.65 fare as credit. I used the credit for my return journey. It reminded me of 2012, when ScottishPower paid me £54 compensation after a 12-hour outage caused by storm damage. That was about three months of my electricity bills at the time. There is a philosophy behind these experiences: people pay for services, but service providers also owe them quality delivery.

A working system is not cheap

This resonated because I had just completed my four-part investigation into Nigeria’s electricity sector. I support cost-reflective pricing where necessary to attract investment and sustain infrastructure. But cost-reflective pricing must produce service-reflective accountability. If Band A customers pay premium tariffs for at least 20 hours of daily supply, persistent failure must have consequences.

A functioning market cannot mean only that citizens must pay. Providers must perform, regulators must regulate, and consumers must meet their obligations too. Electricity theft is no more defensible than persistent failure to provide a service for which customers have paid. But a working market requires more than accountability; it must also confront affordability for those genuinely unable to absorb essential energy costs.

A reunion after 11 years

On Friday, my friend Dr Ityona Amber, an Energy/Mechanical Engineering lecturer at Robert Gordon University, took me around Aberdeen. Ityona and I undertook our Master’s and Ph.D. studies at Heriot-Watt and had not seen each other since 2015. We ended the evening over dinner at a Turkish restaurant by the North Sea beach. Our conversation returned to Nigeria and energy. We agreed that Nigerians without reliable and affordable grid electricity cannot simultaneously be expected to pay full international prices for petroleum products they often use as substitutes for electricity.

Petrol does not merely power cars. It keeps barbers, welders, pepper grinders, tailors and small restaurants productive. Subjecting such an economy indiscriminately to international energy prices while incomes remain extremely low risks deepening poverty.

Social dimension of energy

Britain recognises that not every household can bear the same energy-cost burden. Its Warm Home Discount provides eligible households with a £150 annual electricity-bill discount, with around six million households expected to benefit this winter. Scotland separately provides targeted winter-heating support: £62 for qualifying low-income recipients and £105 to £317 for eligible pensioners. The United States has similar principle. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps lower-income households with energy bills and crises, while the Weatherization Assistance Program helps them reduce consumption and bills through efficiency improvements. These are capitalist economies. Neither has abolished market pricing nor promises everybody free energy. They recognise a simple principle: market pricing and targeted social protection can coexist.

Eliminating a corrupt subsidy mechanism should not eliminate the social question the subsidy was supposed to address. President Tinubu should reconsider throwing away the baby with the bathwater and, without returning to the old regime, consider Atiku’s production-subsidy proposal. Increasing wages without confronting energy costs that continually erode purchasing power can become self-defeating. I support government’s CNG programme, but as part of the energy mix. The Presidency reports more than 120,000 converted vehicles, 400 certified conversion centres and 90 CNG refuelling stations. Those are numbers, but CNG cannot be an overnight substitute for Nigeria’s enormous petrol and diesel economy. Conventional-fuel affordability still matters while electricity, gas and transport infrastructure develop.

An amendment to Atiku’s proposal

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has proposed a ‘production subsidy’: rather than subsidising imported petrol, government would support crude refined in Nigeria through a capped and independently verified mechanism, with electronic tracking, domestic-supply obligations, fiscal limits, audits and penalties for diversion. Some Nigerians dismiss the proposal as political desperation. I see considerable merit in it. But I would suggest an amendment: take the production subsidy further by targeting its ultimate benefit.

Why should a wealthy Nigerian driving a new luxury SUV receive the same public support per litre as a taxi driver carrying workers or a welder, barber, tailor or small restaurant struggling to remain productive? Rather than begin with discounted barrels for refineries, begin with the people and productive activities that deserve support. How many public-transport vehicles and qualifying small businesses are there? Which vulnerable households and senior citizens qualify, and how much fuel do they reasonably need?

From those needs, determine the eligible litres, calculate the refined products and crude required to meet that demand, and establish what the subsidy would actually cost the country. Nigeria already has much of the required data infrastructure-NIN, vehicle and VIN records, tax information and CAC registration. The subsidy should follow the verified person, vehicle or productive activity-not every litre sold in Nigeria. The counterargument is corruption: false income declarations, private vehicles disguised as commercial ones, phantom transactions and cross-border diversion. The risk is real, but it argues for safeguards, not abandonment. Cross-referenced records, transaction limits, electronic custody-transfer monitoring, independent audits and data analytics can make fraud easier to detect and punish.

Between two extremes

Government should neither subsidise unlimited consumption nor expose everybody, irrespective of income and economic function, indiscriminately to international energy prices. Those who can afford market prices should pay them; support for others should be limited, targeted, measurable and independently audited. This is neither socialism nor free energy. It is intelligent government. It is statecraft.

Over the coming weeks, I will dig into the data: who genuinely needs support, how many litres that represents, how much crude is required, what it would cost, and how technology can prevent another subsidy racket. Alhaji Atiku’s production-subsidy proposal has opened a policy conversation. My amendment is simple: don’t stop at subsidising production. Identify where that subsidy creates the greatest social and economic value, quantify it, target it and measure it.

Can Nigeria build an energy-support system that is fiscally responsible, economically productive, socially humane-and measurable? I believe we can.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday fixed Oct. 13 for hearing of an application filed by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), seeking to amend his suit against President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date to allow parties in the suit to regularise their processes.

When the case was called on Monday, Joseph Silas, who appeared for Atiku and ADC, told the court that though he had received responses from other respondents, he was yet to get President Tinubu’s counter affidavit to their motion to amend the suit.

However, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, lawyer to the President, informed the court that their counter affidavit was served on the plaintiffs on Sept. 24 and acknowledged by the office of the plaintiffs’ counsel.

Justice Ekwo equally confirmed the proof of service filed by Olanipekun.

The judge consequently adjourned the matter until Oct. 13 for hearing of the motion to amend the originating summons filed by Atiku and ADC.

Atiku and ADC had, in the main suit, urged Justice Inyang Ekwo to disqualify President Tinubu and APC from the 2027 presidential election.

They had questioned Tinubu’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by APC.

The plaintiffs, who sued the president, APC and INEC as 1st to 3rd defendants in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, alleged that APC submitted the president’s forged NYSC discharge certificate to INEC.

They, therefore, prayed the court to compel INEC to remove Tinubu and APC’s names from the list of candidates and parties for the presidential poll.

President Tinubu and APC, in their joint counter affidavit filed on Sept. 9, prayed the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety for being incompetent and that the plaintiffs lacked the legal right to institute the case.

They denied submitting any forged certificate to INEC either for the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections.

The duo, through the APC’s Director of Legal Services, Mr Sanusi Samaila, averred that they did not submit any Form CF001 to INEC for 2023 or 2027 polls as claimed by the plaintiffs.

They stated that the NYSC has never denied issuing the discharge certificate to the 1st defendant at the end of his service year.

They submitted that it is a settled law that the evidence required to prove that a certificate is forged is a disclaimer from the institution that is said to have issued the certificate, citing a previous Supreme Court decision to back their argument.

They urged the court to uphold their preliminary objection and dismiss the suit.

INEC, in its preliminary objection filed on Sept. 7 by its lawyer, Dr Alex Izinyon, SAN, also challenged the competence of the suit on the grounds of statute-bar, want of locus standi, absence of a reasonable cause of action and abuse of court process.

The commission argued that the plaintiffs failed to comply with the mandatory written deposition requirement under Paragraph 7(1) provision of the Federal High Court Pre-Election Practice Directions (Amendment) 2026.

The electoral umpire equally challenged the impropriety of Reliefs 2 and 3 in Atiku and ADC’s originating summons, urging the court to dismiss the suit.

Atiku and ADC, however, approached the court with a motion on notice on Sept. 10, seeking to amend the suit.

They said the application was brought pursuant to Paragraph 7(8) of the FHC (Pre-election) Practice Directions, 2006, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

In the two reliefs, they sought an order granting leave to them to amend their originating summons.

They also prayed the court for an order deeming the amended originating summons filed upon their application as a properly filed amended originating summons.

Giving four grounds why their application should be granted, the applicants said they filed the suit on Aug. 14, seeking the reliefs contained in the originating summons.

Atiku and ADC said that after filing the originating summons, they noticed a few errors, especially in the nomenclature of the INEC forms attached to their affidavit, which was referred to as Form CF001, instead of the now Form EC9A.

They said there was also the need to specifically set out the particulars of the alleged fraud in their affidavit, including a written deposition of the 1st plaintiff (Atiku) and attaching clearer copies of Exhibits referred to, but were not available with the plaintiffs as at the time of filing the suit.

They said these would replace ‘the one presently attached, but is inelegant,’ and that no new issue had been added to the amended originating summons and no additional prayers sought.

Besides, they submitted that as plaintiffs, they ‘are entitled to make this amended in the interest of justice.’

Tinubu, in a counter affidavit filed on Sept. 24, opposed the application to amend the suit.

The President, in the counter affidavit deposed to by Moses Adoga, a litigation support officer, in the law firm of Wole Olanipekun, SAN, his lead counsel, disagreed with Atiku’s submission.

Adoga said contrary to the reliefs sought by Atiku in his amended originating summons marked as Exhibit ‘P1,’ he noticed that the ADC presidential candidate also sought to amend the questions for determination and reliefs sought.

The officer said he observed that Atiku sought to introduce an entirely new relief, which was not sought in the originating summons, with which the action was initiated.

‘I also observed that the plaintiffs seek to introduce new documents through the affidavit, by substituting FORM CF001 for FORM EC9, while seeking to introduce entirely new paragraphs in the supporting affidavit to the originating summons.’

According to him, the amendment sought to be made by the plaintiffs essentially attempts to alter the entire case of the plaintiffs as presented before this honourable court.

Adoga submitted that the said motion was misconceived.

‘The entire facts deposed to in the affidavit in support of the motion on notice, including Paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are untrue, misconceived or skewed to mislead this honourable court.’

The officer said he observed that the plaintiffs made it clear that their purported cause of action is predicated on the documents submitted by the president to INEC.

He, however, argued that Atiku’s substantive suit is statute-barred, having been filed on Aug. 14 while the cause of action which he is challenging arose on July 11 when Tinubu’s name was submitted to INEC, even though the commission published the particulars of all presidential candidates with their submitted certificates on August 1.

According to him, the timeline for institution of actions is prescribed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and not the Practice Direction of this Honourable Court.

‘The Practice Direction does not entitle any party to file or seek to amend their originating summons upon the expiration of the time prescribed by the constitution for the institution of the action,’ he added.

Besides, he argued that contrary to Atiku’s reliefs, the amendment sought more than just ‘to correct errors of description of documents.’

‘Further to the above, the attempt to ‘set out the particulars of fraud in the affidavit’ is an admission to the fact that the previously filed originating summons contained no such particulars, thus rendering same incompetent.

Adoga submitted that an incompetent originating process cannot be amended.

He stated further that the proposed amended originating summons clearly indicated that an additional prayer is being sought therein.

Adoga prayed the court to dismiss the motion for amendment in the interest of justice.

APC equally opposed the motion to amend the suit.

NAN earlier reported that INEC had also opposed Atiku’s motion to amend the suit.

The commission, in a counter affidavit to the plaintiffs’ motion on notice for amendment filed on Sept. 10, said its preliminary objection, filed on Sept. 7 and served on the plaintiffs, is still pending and undetermined.

Mendie Akpan, a litigation secretary in the law firm of Alex Izinyon and Co, who deposed to the counter affidavit, argued that Atiku’s motion to amend and the proposed amended originating summons is seeking to substitute or bring in a new cause of action.

She further submitted that the motion sought to attach a written deposition not filed within the constitutionally prescribed period, reformulate reliefs and cure the CF001/EC9 confusion.

The lawyer argued that the proposed amendment, if granted, would have the effect of introducing a fresh or different cause of action.

Alternatively, she said it would have the effect of curing a jurisdictional defect, after the expiration of the 14 days prescribed by Section 285(9) of the Constitution for instituting a pre-election suit.

The matter is expected to be heard by Justice Ekwok on Monday, September 28.

Nigerian economists are urging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to improve how it manages liquidity in the banking system.

They say current tools need clearer links to market rates and careful use of the cash reserve requirement (CRR).

Ayo Teriba, CEO of Economic Associates, has highlighted a long-standing gap between the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) and actual market rates.

In an Arise TV program monitored in Lagos, he noted the disconnect between the MPR and market rates. He argues that CRR should be zero percent, meaning banks should not be mandated to keep a percentage of customers’ deposits with the CBN at no interest accruals to them.

He called for reforms to be judged separately from outcomes and impact. Measurements, he argued, should focus on liquidity segments and cover price stability, growth, welfare, and net reserves.

CRR in Nigeria stands for Cash Reserve Requirement (also called Cash Reserve Ratio). It is a key monetary policy tool used by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Simple explanation

CRR is the percentage of customers’ deposits that commercial banks (and other deposit-taking institutions) must keep as cash reserves with the CBN. Banks cannot lend or invest this money.

Example:

If a bank has ?100 in customer deposits and the CRR is 45%, the bank must keep ?45 with the CBN. It can only use the remaining ?55 for lending or other investments.

Why the CBN uses CRR

To control the amount of money (liquidity) in the banking system

To help fight inflation

To influence how much banks can lend to businesses and individuals

Raising the CRR takes more money out of circulation (tightens policy). Lowering it frees up more money for lending (eases policy).

According to the CBN Monetary Policy Committee decisions:

Deposit Money Banks (commercial banks): 45%

Merchant Banks: 16%

Non-TSA public-sector deposits: 75%

These rates were retained at the MPC meeting of 21-22 September 2026, even as the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) was cut to 23%.

CRR is one of the main tools the CBN uses alongside the MPR, liquidity ratio, and open market operations to manage the economy.

Teriba pointed out that the MPR stayed the same for more than a year and a half while market rates kept changing. ‘Market rates are variable, and get rates connect to everybody’s decision. Market rates are what get transmitted. MPR has been the same number for more than a year, one and a half years for two years. That tells you it’s as misaligned,’ he said.

He welcomed talk about foreign reserves but noted the absence of discussion on net reserves and the size of any misalignment. ‘Unless you know the size of misalignment, you can’t talk about realignment,’ Teriba said. He stressed that discussions of the MPR and rates must include the related quantities of money, because those quantities help set the prices. Simply cutting the policy rate by 30 or even 1150 basis points does not fix the problem if the gap remains large.

Professor Uche Uwaleke agreed with much of Teriba’s analysis. He described the CRR as a crude but useful tool in Nigeria’s economy, where normal policy channels work slowly and banks hold large excess liquidity. ‘Cash reserve requirements as instrument of monetary policy is grossly unpopular for several reasons which we cannot go into on this platform. But like you rightly suggested, it is a very crude but effective tool for dealing with excess liquidity in a quasi-market economy where traditional transmission channels are slow,’ Uwaleke said.

He added that high CRR can still affect money outside the banking system because banks influence how much cash people hold. ‘Under such circumstances, cash reserve requirements coupled with other liquidity management tools become veritable instruments of monetary control. Should it be reduced or abolished? Only the CBN can tell us how effective they have been in controlling liquidity,’ he said.

Hashim supported a lower CRR but firmly rejected cutting it to zero. ‘I share Prof Ayo Teriba’s view that there is a strong case for reducing the current Cash Reserve Requirement of 45% for commercial banks. However, I respectfully disagree with his reported position that the CRR should be reduced to zero,’ Hashim stated.

He warned that a sudden drop to zero could flood the system with cash, push interest rates down sharply, and encourage borrowing for consumption or political spending. Banks might also expand margin lending, risking a stock-market boom followed by instability. Lower yields on government securities could then drive portfolio investors away, pressure the naira, and reverse recent gains in exchange-rate stability, inflation control, and the balance of payments.

‘The objective should therefore be to find the right balance: a CRR that is sufficiently accommodative to support credit creation and economic activity, while remaining prudent enough to preserve monetary and macroeconomic stability,’ Hashim said. He welcomed the CBN Monetary Policy Committee’s recent decision to recalibrate the policy rate and urged careful, gradual steps rather than one big move.

The experts agree that Nigeria’s liquidity tools need better alignment with real market conditions. They call for clearer data on net reserves, proper measurement of rate gaps, and a balanced approach to the CRR so that policy supports growth without endangering hard-won stability.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.

Shettima, who departed Abuja on September 20, arrived in the country on Monday following his participation in the annual high-level gathering of world leaders.

President Tinubu had mandated the Vice-President to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA, where he delivered the President’s national statement during the General Debate.

According to a statement issued by Shettima’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Nigeria used the occasion to renew its call for reforms to the United Nations Security Council.

The statement said the Federal Government advocated permanent African representation on the council, fairer global financing, stronger climate support and deeper multilateral cooperation.

At the Third High-Level Roundtable of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Shettima also conveyed the President’s call for African countries to move beyond the export of raw minerals and prioritise processing, manufacturing and value addition.

At a high-level education financing event co-hosted by Nigeria and Italy, the Vice-President reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to education and supported the Global Partnership for Education’s $5 billion financing campaign.

Shettima described education as ‘a critical investment in productivity, human capital and national prosperity.’

The Vice-President also met with Nigerians in the Diaspora, where he highlighted the importance of their investments, expertise and networks to Nigeria’s development.

He further held meetings with the new leadership of the Economic Community of West African States Commission and the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed.

According to the statement, the engagements focused on development financing, regional integration, economic cooperation, technology, peace and security.

OGUN State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi), has been urged to establish a Diaspora Directorate within his campaign organisation to harness the expertise and resources of indigenes of the state living abroad.

The call was made by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Poland, Omooba Adekunle Ayoola.

In a statement, Ayoola said the proposed directorate would identify, unite and engage Ogun indigenes and people of Ogun heritage living in different parts of the world.

According to him, Ogun State has a vast network of accomplished professionals contributing to various sectors, including business, technology, academia, medicine, finance, law, engineering, entertainment and international development.

He said, ‘We therefore urge the APC governorship hopeful to establish an Ogun Diaspora Directorate within his campaign organisation to identify, unite and engage Ogun indigenes and people of Ogun heritage living around the world.

‘The Directorate would harness diaspora expertise, investment, technology, professional networks and international partnerships to support Ogun’s development.’

Ayoola said the proposed structure could link local businesses, institutions and young people in the state with global mentors, markets and opportunities.

He added that it could also promote investment in key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, education, tourism, renewable energy, housing and infrastructure.

The APC chieftain cited Ghana and Rwanda as examples of countries that had demonstrated how structured diaspora engagement could contribute to investment, knowledge transfer and development.

He also noted that Ogun’s global potential was reflected in the achievements of prominent indigenes and people of Ogun heritage, including Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; investment and infrastructure executive, Adebayo ‘Bayo’ Ogunlesi; global boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, whose family has roots in Sagamu; Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; and African energy executive, Adewale ‘Wale’ Tinubu.

He noted that the achievements of these personalities, alongside those of ‘countless other Ogun people worldwide,’ are a reflection of the depth of talent available to the state.

Ayoola said the activities of the directorate should include diaspora consultations, investment mapping, mentorship programmes and the creation of a secure registration platform.

He, however, stressed that the proposed structure must operate within relevant legal frameworks.

According to him, if Senator Adeola eventually wins the governorship election, the campaign directorate can then evolve into a formal Ogun Diaspora Affairs Office or Agency.

He said, ‘Ogun has talent and goodwill across the globe; what is needed is the vision and structure to connect these resources to local development.’