TWN NEWS – Weekly Roundup
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TWN NEWS
WEEKLY EDITION
Week Ending: Saturday, 20 June 2026
Election Day Edition | Lagos, Nigeria
Election Day Edition | Lagos, Nigeria
🇳🇬 Nigeria Votes Today! Ekiti Governorship Election & Bye-Elections in 6 States — Saturday, June 20, 2026 🇳🇬
■ Nigeria's Premier Weekly News Digest
Saturday, 20 June 2026 | Lagos Time (WAT)
📰
Top Stories — 14 to 20 June 2026
News Roundup
🗳️ Ekiti Decides — Election Day
01
Nigeria Votes: Ekiti's Off-Cycle Governorship Poll Goes Live with Record 1.06 Million Voters — Oyebanji Seeks Historic Second Term
Ekiti State voters head to 2,445 polling units across 16 local government areas on Saturday, June 20, in an off-cycle governorship election held against the largest voter register in the state's history — 1,059,360 registered voters, up from roughly 993,000 in 2022, with 97.1% of permanent voter cards already collected. Incumbent APC Governor Biodun Oyebanji ("BAO") is seeking a second term against more than a dozen challengers, the closest being PDP's Dr Oluyede of Ikere-Ekiti. The contest is notable for what it lacks: the fierce, nail-biting rivalry that has defined Ekiti polls since 1999. Analysts say a fragmented opposition has left this looking like a one-horse race, though no Ekiti governor has ever won two consecutive terms — a streak Oyebanji would break with a win. The poll is the first major test of the Electoral Act 2026's provisions on BVAS accreditation and electronic result transmission via INEC's IReV portal.
🗳️ Politics — Bye-Elections & Party Deregistration
02
Six States Hold Bye-Elections Alongside Ekiti; Court Orders INEC to Deregister Five Political Parties, Stirring Controversy Ahead of Osun Poll
Beyond Ekiti, voters in Nasarawa, Rivers, Ondo, Enugu, Kano, and Kebbi states are casting ballots on Saturday to fill vacant legislative seats, with parties treating the contests as early tests of grassroots strength ahead of the 2027 general elections. The week's bigger political flashpoint, however, came from the bench: Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered INEC to deregister five political parties — the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, and Zenith Labour Party — for allegedly failing to meet constitutional registration requirements. The ruling has drawn sharp criticism, in part because it proceeds despite a Court of Appeal stay of proceedings until October 2027, and because it is expected to directly affect Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on August 15, 2026.
⚖️ Justice
03
Court Revokes Sowore's Bail Over Failure to Appear in Court; AAC Presidential Candidate Remanded at Kuje, Returns June 22
A Federal High Court in Abuja revoked the bail of human rights activist, Sahara Reporters publisher and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, after he and his lawyer failed to appear for the continuation of his trial on Tuesday, June 16. The Department of State Services is prosecuting Sowore on a two-count cybercrime and criminal defamation charge stemming from social media posts describing President Tinubu as "a criminal." Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, noting that Sowore's adjournment request offered no justification, ordered him remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre and issued a bench warrant, with the matter adjourned to June 22 for a ruling on Sowore's separate application seeking the judge's recusal over alleged bias.
🌍 Security
04
Troops Repel ISWAP Assault in Borno's Buratai Axis; Oyo's Abducted Schoolchildren Still Held in Old Oyo National Park, Over a Month On
Operation Hadin Kai troops repelled a coordinated ISWAP assault in the early hours of June 19, when insurgents struck military positions at Dusten Kura and Chara Road in the Buratai axis of Biu Local Government Area, Borno State. The military said alert troops, backed by intelligence and the Air Component's surveillance and precision strikes, forced the attackers to flee with heavy losses, with no Nigerian troops killed. Away from the frontline, the schoolchildren and teachers abducted from Ahoro, Esiele, and Yawota communities in Oyo's Oriire Local Government Area more than a month ago remain in captivity. Governor Seyi Makinde's latest newsletter said intelligence places the victims within the difficult terrain of Old Oyo National Park, where dense forest cover continues to slow the rescue operation.
📊 NGX Markets
05
Correction Deepens as ASI Slips Below 240,000; MTN, Zenith Buck the Trend; Dangote Refinery Discloses $0.35 IPO Share Price
The Nigerian equities market extended its corrective phase through the week, with the All-Share Index shedding 1.41% on Thursday, June 18, to close at 237,404.92 — its fourth losing session in a row — and market capitalisation falling to ₦152.27 trillion. The market remains well above the 200,000-point milestone crossed in March and the YTD return has eased to 52.56%, down from the all-time high of 252,508 points hit on May 13. Thursday's gainers were led by Legend Internz (+9.52%), NPF Microfinance Bank (+9.18%) and Transcorp (+7.32%), while Africa Prudential, Cadbury Nigeria, and Triple Gee each shed the maximum 10%. MTN Nigeria continued setting fresh all-time highs around ₦605–610, and Zenith Bank led a banking-sector rally ahead of the recapitalisation deadline. In a significant update on the most anticipated listing of the year, NGX Group Chairman Dr Umaru Kwairanga disclosed that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO will offer 3 billion ordinary shares at $0.35 per share, with investor demand already exceeding $2 billion ahead of a formal main-board listing expected between June and July.
💰 Economy
06
Naira Holds Steady Near ₦1,360 Official, ₦1,400 Parallel; CBN Reveals Banks and Customers Lost ₦134.48bn to Fraud Over Six Years
The naira traded within a relatively stable band through the week, holding around ₦1,357–₦1,364 per dollar at the official NFEM window and between ₦1,390 and ₦1,410 in the parallel market, with analysts crediting ongoing FX reforms and sustained dollar supply from authorised dealers. Separately, the Central Bank's Nigeria Payments System Vision 2028 document revealed that banks and their customers lost a combined ₦134.48 billion to fraud between 2020 and 2025, out of ₦187.79 billion in attempted fraud across ATM, POS, internet, mobile, and e-commerce channels. Losses peaked in 2024 at ₦52.26 billion — nearly 39% of the six-year total — driven largely by a single internal fraud case involving ₦30 billion, before easing to ₦25.85 billion in 2025 as banks tightened controls.
🗳️ Politics & 2027
07
Funso Doherty Accepts NDC's Lagos Governorship Nomination; INEC to Open 2027 Candidate Portal June 26 – July 11
Prominent Lagos politician Funso Doherty accepted the nomination of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to contest the state's 2027 governorship election, sharing an acceptance letter on his official X account that stressed humility ahead of the race. In the aftermath of party primaries held between April 23 and May 30, INEC confirmed that access codes will be issued to designated party officials to upload candidates' particulars for the 2027 general election onto its portal between June 26 and July 11, 2026, even as several aggrieved aspirants continue to petition party appeal committees or head to court over disputed primary results. In a separate development, President Tinubu extended the tenure of Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi.
🎭 Culture & Sport
08
Commonwealth Games Trials Open in Lagos; Nigerians Keep Watching the World Cup from the Sidelines — DR Congo's Group Stays in View
The 2026 Commonwealth Games national trials run June 20–22 at the Yabatech Sports Complex in Yaba, Lagos, serving as the official selection event for Team Nigeria's contingent. Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup continues its group stage across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with host nations Mexico and Canada already through to the Round of 32. Nigerian football fans continue to watch the tournament with a mix of curiosity and lingering disappointment, with particular attention on Group K, where Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo are playing alongside DR Congo — the team that eliminated Nigeria in November's play-off final. Elsewhere, FIFA President Gianni Infantino described as "unfortunate" the denial of entry into the United States for Somali referee Omar Artan, while noting FIFA cannot dictate immigration policy to host governments.
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