News
Makinde, APM Sue Abia Govt Over N200m Billboard Fee For Presidential Candidates
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has gone to court to challenge a N200 million fee the Abia State Government reportedly imposes on presidential candidates who want to display campaign materials in the state.
Makinde and the APM argue that the fee, which is twenty times what the Electoral Act 2026 allows a candidate to spend on billboards in any single state, is a backdoor bid to shut out non-incumbent candidates from public view and make compliance with campaign spending limits impossible.
In suit HC/214/2026 filed at the Abia State High Court, they are challenging Governor Alex Otti, the state Attorney General, the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ASAA) and the state House of Assembly. Their lawyer is Musibau Adetunbi (SAN).
The plaintiffs say Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026 caps total spending for a presidential campaign at N10 billion nationwide. They argue that if every state and the FCT charged a similar fee, billboard charges alone would exceed 80 per cent of that limit.
They said they learnt of the fee while preparing to begin their nationwide campaign.
The plaintiffs raised six questions for determination and are asking for eight reliefs. Key among them:
An order setting aside ASAA’s regulations on political campaigns, including the N200m fee or any other amount.
An injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from enforcing the fee and from “removing, defacing, destroying and obstructing” their campaign billboards and outdoor advertisements in Abia.
A declaration that the N200m schedule is inconsistent with federal law, unconstitutional, null and void ab initio, under Item F, Section 15(a) and (f) of the Third Schedule and Sections 1(3) and 4(5) of the Constitution, and Sections 92 and 99 of the Electoral Act 2026.
A declaration that the fee breaches Section 99(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which bars the use of state apparatus or regulatory bodies to advantage or disadvantage any party or candidate, and undermines the principle of a level playing field.
INEC’s exclusive powers: The plaintiffs contend that under the Constitution and Section 9(1) of the Electoral Act, INEC alone has the power to make rules and regulations on campaigns for the purpose of elections.
State apparatus: They say that by fixing an exorbitant fee, the defendants are using ASAA to “constructively exclude” non-incumbent candidates from public visibility, contrary to Section 99(2).
Right to campaign: Section 99 guarantees candidates an unhindered right to campaign publicly once the statutory period opens, they argue, and the fee violates it.
Limits of state power: They acknowledged that outdoor signage falls under the Residual List and is a state matter, but insisted that states cannot exercise that power in a prohibitive or discriminatory manner that frustrates or overrides an Act of the National Assembly on campaigns.
Supremacy of federal law: Under Sections 1(3) and 4(5) of the Constitution, any state law, directive or regulation inconsistent with the Electoral Act is void to the extent of that inconsistency, they said.
The plaintiffs warned that unless the court intervenes swiftly, Makinde will suffer irreparable harm to his constitutional right to seek public office, and the principle of a level playing field will be badly compromised.
The United States has listed Nigeria among 14 countries identified for recruiting or using child soldiers, warning that the designation could trigger restrictions on certain forms of military assistance.
The listing is contained in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which covers the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
According to the report, restrictions under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) could affect international military education and training, foreign military financing, excess defence articles, peacekeeping operations and licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment, unless a presidential waiver is granted.
Nigeria was listed alongside Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen.
The report also retained Nigeria on Tier 2 for human trafficking, a category for countries whose governments do not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking but are making significant efforts to comply.
However, the US raised concerns about corruption and alleged official complicity in human trafficking crimes.
“The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes or provide details or other actions taken against complicit officials from previous years,” the report stated.
The report also faulted Nigeria’s efforts to protect trafficking victims, stating that 675 victims received assistance in 2025, compared with 2,058 in the previous year.
It said support services, particularly for male victims, remained limited, with only one dedicated non-governmental organisation shelter for adult male victims operating during the reporting period.
The report further stated that shelters operated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) restricted residents’ freedom of movement, while access to certain protection services depended on victims cooperating with law enforcement proceedings.
Despite these concerns, the report acknowledged increased government efforts in investigating, prosecuting and securing convictions in human trafficking cases compared with the previous reporting period.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed as fake a purported special announcement concerning governorship candidates in Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission, in a notice issued on Monday and shared across its official social media platforms, warned Nigerians against circulating or relying on the publication, stressing that it did not originate from the electoral body.
“The Commission wishes to categorically inform the general public that the publication is FAKE and did not originate from INEC,” the notice stated.
INEC urged members of the public to verify election-related information through its recognised communication channels to avoid being misled by false announcements.
The commission listed its official website as inecnigeria.org, while its verified social media accounts include @inecnigeria on X and Instagram, and INEC Nigeria on Facebook. It also directed the public to its news portal, inecnews.com, for official updates.
The warning comes days after INEC published the final lists of candidates for the governorship elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Reports following the publication noted that the names of some expected candidates, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates Ladi Adebutu in Ogun State and Isa Pantami in Gombe State, were absent from the published lists. The documents did not provide explanations for the omissions.
The commission appealed to Nigerians to rely solely on its official platforms for accurate information on candidates and electoral activities as preparations for the 2027 elections continue.
The Chief of Staff to Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, Segun Ogunwuyi has resigned.
According to report, Ogunwuyi resigned on Monday in a letter dated October 12, 2026, stating that his resignation took immediate effect.
The former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly and the House of Representatives is among several aides who have left the Makinde administration in the last two months.
“I respectfully write to resign my appointment as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Oyo State, with effect from today, 12th October 2026.
“Serving the government and the good people of Oyo State has been a great honour. It has been deeply fulfilling to be part of the exceptional team that has worked relentlessly to deliver the remarkable achievements of this administration.
“I remain immensely proud of what we have collectively accomplished in advancing the growth, development and prosperity of our dear state.
“As I take this decision, I do so with profound gratitude for the opportunity to serve, with confidence in the continued progress of Oyo State.
“Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest esteem and unwavering loyalty to Oyo State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” report quoted Ogunwuyi to have stated in his resignation letter.
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