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Ekiti election: Oyebanji evading service – Oni lawyers allege
Lawyers to the Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the June 18 poll in Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni, have accused the governor-elect , Hon. Biodun Oyebanji of evading service to begin his petition before the Election Petition Tribunal against his victory.
The counsels to the petitioner, also alleged that the Yobe State Governor and former National Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mai Mala Buni and Oyebanji’s deputy, Monisade Afuye, had been difficult to serve on account of lack of fixed addresses.
Alleging that such antic was geared towards stalling the petition, Oni’s counsels averred that they had on July 20, 2022, at the Election Petition Tribunal filed an application for substituted service for speedy service and prompt trial of the case.
Oni had on July 7, 2022 filed his petition before the Tribunal in Ado Ekiti, calling for the reversal of the declaration of Oyebanji as the winner of the election.
Oni also urged the court to declare him the winner of the poll, claiming that he scored the highest number of lawful votes in the poll.
The petitioner urged the Tribunal to in the alternative nullify the election and order a rerun in view of alleged widespread manipulations that characterised the poll.
The former Secretary to the State Government and the candidate of the APC, Biodun Oyebanji garnered a total of 187,045 votes to defeat Oni, who polled 82,122 votes in the election.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Oni’s legal team, led by Obafemi Adewale (SAN), was upbeat that Oni will be declared winner of the poll at the Tribunal in view of the avalanche of evidence to be presented to substantiate their claim of widespread rigging in the poll.
Adewale, who spoke through a former Attorney General and Justice Commissioner in Ekiti, Owoseeni Ajayi, said: “Fact speaks for itself. Segun Oni ought to have been declared winner because he scored the highest number of valid votes, but this couldn’t happen because the election was characterised by widespread irregularities.
“We filed our petition on July 7 within the time stipulated for us in the Electoral Act. Since that time, we have been having issues of service.
“INEC had been served without restriction. The APC had also been served in Abuja without restriction. But we have problem serving the governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji, his deputy, Monisade Afuye and the caretaker chairman of the party when the candidate was elected at the primary, Governor Mai Mala Buni.
“There had been deliberate avoidance of service by these respondents. In any election petition, time is of essence because we have to conclude the petition within 181 days.
“In the election petition trial, the days started counting the very day we filed our petition and it also includes their 21 days to which they must respond to our petition.
“To make things difficult, the governor-elect and his deputy have no addresses and the only place to serve them is the party secretariat in Ado Ekiti that is now locked up, we can’t reach them.
“The Bailiff of the tribunal went to Abuja’s liaison office of Yobe State Governor, their officials resisted being served. They said they can’t collect the letters on his behalf.
“Service is of essence in any case and they have to be served personally, except we are given this option of substituted service.
“We are not resting and we are desirous of going with the litigation until Oni, who won the majority of the lawful votes is declared the winner”, Obafemi stated.
Obafemi posited further that the petitioner has credible evidence to present that would influence the Panelists to give favourable judgement to Oni and SDP.
“We have proof of widespread malpractices and manipulations that really offended the Electoral Act in the election.
“We are confident that there won’t be any reason to order a fresh election. By the time we will finish our case, there will be declaration of the petitioner as the validly elected candidate”, Obafemi boasted.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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