The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s discovery of an illegal refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogun State, fresh disagreements among groups supporting Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential ambition and the World Bank’s criticism of state governments’ spending priorities are among the major stories leading PUNCH’s website this Wednesday morning.
Also making the headlines are developments within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress and fresh court testimony in the alleged certificate forgery case involving former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
Here are the five stories featured in PUNCH’s Top News section this morning.
1. EFCC busts Chinese-linked illegal refinery in Ogun
The EFCC has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
The facility was discovered on Saturday, October 31, by operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following intelligence and surveillance.
According to EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale, operatives found underground tanks, waste products and substances suspected to be diesel.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the operators sourced black sludge from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, before transporting it to Ogere for processing.
The facility was deserted when the operatives arrived, while investigations are ongoing to establish the identities of the operators and ownership of the refinery.
2. Obi campaign: OK Movement tackles NDC, Obidients
A fresh disagreement has emerged among groups supporting Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential ambition, with the United Kingdom Coordinator of the OK Movement, Adebayo Brown, accusing leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council and the Obidient Movement of creating divisions among supporters.
The disagreement followed claims that Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had distanced themselves from the OK Movement.
Brown urged the Obidient Movement coordinator, Dr Moses Paul, to concentrate on grassroots mobilisation rather than engage in public disagreements.
However, the NDC campaign council dismissed the controversy as a distraction, while Paul’s media aide, Chidi Iloamaeke, said the coordinator was focused on his responsibilities within the Obidient Movement.
The development comes with 76 days remaining before the 2027 general elections, according to Brown.
3. Revenue boom: World Bank faults states’ spending priorities
The World Bank has criticised Nigerian state governments over their spending priorities, warning that increased revenues following recent economic reforms have not translated into corresponding investments in education, healthcare and social protection.
A senior economist at the World Bank Nigeria Office, Gloria Joseph-Raji, raised the concerns on Tuesday in Abuja during the launch of BudgIT’s 2026 State of States Report.
She said spending on transport infrastructure had grown faster than investments in essential public services, including in states with weaker human development indicators.
BudgIT’s Country Director, Vahyala Kwaga, disclosed that aggregate revenue across 34 states rose from N4.99tn in 2022 to N15.53tn in 2025.
However, the states had spent only N8.60tn, representing 24.4 per cent of their combined N35.22tn approved budgets, by June 2026.
The report also showed that Lagos was the most indebted state, with N2.9tn in debt, while it ranked first in overall fiscal sustainability.
4. Osun APC scraps parallel Tinubu campaign council
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has discontinued its parallel presidential campaign structure and renamed its campaign council the Osun State APC Parliamentary Campaign Council.
The party also expanded the council from 168 to 183 members to accommodate all members of its state executive committee following protests over the initial composition.
The dispute followed the emergence of separate campaign structures after Ademola Adeleke, a member of the Accord Party, was appointed state coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign.
Four Osun APC executives had earlier rejected the composition of the party’s parallel campaign council, alleging that some state working committee members were excluded.
However, the party’s welfare officer, Adesola Ayangbile, subsequently denied authorising the statement in which her name appeared as one of the signatories protesting the council’s composition.
5. Ex-minister Nnaji’s certificate forged, NYSC witness tells court
An official of the National Youth Service Corps has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that a certificate linked to former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was not issued by the organisation.
An Assistant Director in the NYSC Department of Certification, Yusuf Jumare, identified four irregularities in the disputed document while testifying as a prosecution witness on Tuesday.
He said the certificate number carried a prefix introduced in 1990, although the document purportedly dated to 1985.
He also identified discrepancies in the call-up number, the duration of service stated on the certificate and the designation of the official who purportedly signed it.
However, during cross-examination, Jumare admitted that he did not establish whether Nnaji had ever been issued a certificate by the corps.
Nnaji, who resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet following the controversy over his academic credentials, is facing a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, money laundering and abuse of office. He has pleaded not guilty.
The court adjourned the case until November 30 for continuation of cross-examination and January 29, 2027, for continuation of the trial.
Other important developments on PUNCH this morning
Beyond the five stories in the homepage’s Top News section, these developments are also attracting attention:
Four Nigerian-Americans win US midterms
Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem have won elective positions in the US midterm elections, while Segun Adeyina’s result remained pending.
State police: 28 assemblies approve, Tinubu’s assent
Twenty-eight state assemblies have approved the proposed state police constitutional amendment.
