1. The January 17, 2027 presidential race gathered momentum on Wednesday as President Bola Tinubu and opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar, Seyi Makinde and Peter Obi intensified their campaigns, unveiling competing promises on security, economic recovery, national unity and improved living conditions.

While Tinubu sought another four-year mandate on the strength of his administration’s policies and promised continuity, the opposition candidates criticised the state of the country and offered alternative plans to tackle mounting economic and security challenges.

2. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority on Wednesday said that the illegal refinery recently discovered at Ogere Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State was operating on over three hectares of land, with an underground storage tank estimated to have a capacity of more than 90,000 litres.

3. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returned to Abuja yesterday  night after completing the Umrah (Lesser Hajj) pilgrimage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. While there,  he offered special prayers for Nigeria’s peace, security, unity and prosperity. His  aircraft touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at exactly 8.53 pm, bringing to an end his  five-day  visit to the oil-rich Asian kingdom

4. The African Democratic Congress, ADC, vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he would leave his wife if she became president and governed like President Bola Tinubu. Amaechi stated this during an interview with Rapid TV, urging Nigerians to put aside religious, political and ethnic affiliations and reject Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

5. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested approval from the National Assembly to secure a fresh external loan of $7.7 billion (approximately N10.79 trillion) to part-finance the Federal Government’s N31.4 trillion budget deficit for the 2026 fiscal year. The request, contained in a letter dated October 26, 2026, and addressed to the Senate President, was read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber during Wednesday’s plenary.

6. Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are going round villages in northern Nigeria to buy voters’ cards in an attempt to manipulate the electoral process. Atiku made the allegation on Wednesday in Sokoto while addressing supporters at the flag-off of the ADC presidential campaign, where he urged Nigerians to come out in large numbers to vote and protect their votes during the forthcoming elections.

7. The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking to make it compulsory for public and private hospitals across Nigeria to provide emergency medical treatment, prescribing up to six months’ imprisonment for facilities and individuals who violate its provisions. The proposed legislation also prescribes a fine of up to N300,000, imprisonment for six months, or both, for anyone convicted of denying emergency medical treatment.

8. The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC- PCC) yesterday listed the gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms in the Education sector.
The council, in a statement by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, said the reforms have  expanded access to quality learning, boosted teacher welfare  and restored stability to Nigeria’s tertiary institutions

9. Force headquarters yesterday warned politicians, thugs, miscreants and other persons with affiliations to members of the political class responsible for destruction of campaign posters, billboards and banners belonging to candidates and parties to desist or face prosecution.

10. Nigeria’s U17 women’s team, the Flamingos, have reached the final of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup for the first time in history after defeating Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final. The Flamingos secured the historic victory with goals from Queen Joseph and Awawu Bashiru, who scored twice.

A London court has rejected an appeal by former governor of Delta state, James Ibori, seeking to reduce a £101.5 million asset confiscation order imposed on him following his conviction for fraud and money laundering.

According to reports by Reuters, the court of appeal rejected Ibori’s arguments on Tuesday after he challenged the amount ordered by a lower court in 2023.

Ibori approached the court seeking to reduce the confiscation sum by about £4.3 million ($5.8 million).

The confiscation order, equivalent to about $136.05 million, was issued by Southwark Crown Court in July 2023.

The court directed Ibori to pay the amount immediately or face an eight-year default prison sentence.

The appeal had delayed the confiscation process. The proceedings can now move forward unless Ibori decides to challenge the ruling at the UK supreme court.

Speaking to Reuters after the ruling, Ibori said he was consulting his lawyers to determine his next course of action.

He also expressed frustration over the length of the legal proceedings, saying his troubles had persisted for a long time.

“Give me a break,” he added.

Ibori, who was governor of Delta state between 1999 and 2007, was convicted by a UK court in 2012 after pleading guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in public funds through British banks and properties.

He was sentenced to 13 years in prison but was released in late 2016 after serving about half of sentence, taking into account time spent in pre-trial and post-trial detention. He returned to Nigeria in early 2017.

The confiscation proceedings followed investigations into his financial activities by Nigerian and British anti-corruption authorities. Ibori had left Nigeria for Dubai before being extradited to Britain in 2011.

In 2020, British prosecutors initiated proceedings to confiscate properties worth about £117 million linked to the former governor.

In July 2023, David Tomlinson, a judge at Southwark Crown Court, ordered the confiscation of £101.5 million traced to Ibori, following what he described as factual findings.

At the time, Ibori said he would appeal the decision, describing the ruling as difficult to comprehend and accept.

He alleged that the prosecution had failed to establish that money was stolen from Delta state and accused the judge of disregarding evidence and arguments presented by his lawyers.

He also questioned the directive to pay the confiscation sum immediately, arguing that selling the restrained assets could take several months.

The former governor had said the eight-year default sentence could become an issue if proceeds from the sale of his assets fell short of the amount ordered by the court.

In 2021, the British government returned £4.2 million recovered from Ibori’s former wife and sister to Nigeria under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by both countries in March of that year.

Nigeria’s U-17 female national team, Flamingos have qualified for the final of the 2026 Women’s U-17 World Cup.

The team defeated Brazil 3-1 vict in the semi-final in Sale, Morocco, on Wednesday.

A Queen Joseph opener and an Awawu Bashiru double drowned out Graise Kelly’s consolation goal, sending Nigeria to its first-ever final of the competition.

Before the kickoff whistle at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, a bronze medal in the 2022 edition was the highest Flamingos had achieved at the World Cup.

But after the Akeem Busari-led side wrapped up the game against a befuddled Brazilian team, only three days separated the Flamingos from Nigeria’s first global title in women’s football.

The first half ended goalless until the match picked up pace just after halftime. Oluwakeyi Adegbuyi drove into the Brazilian area, and her scuffed shot swerved into Joseph’s path, who tucked it in to give Nigeria the lead.

Then Bashiru doubled the advantage a few minutes later with an audacious cross-shot that lobbed, from the left byline, above everyone’s reach and into the net.

Bashiru then grabbed her second of the game after finishing a move that saw Flamingos practically pass the ball into the Brazilian net.

Brazil’s late strike was only good for a consolation against a team that outperformed them by all metrics.

Nigeria will face Japan, who defeated North Korea on penalties, in the final on Saturday.