The Constitutional Council of Cameroon has officially declared 92-year-old Paul Biya the winner of the country’s October 12 presidential election, extending his decades-long rule.

Biya, in office since 1982, secured a fresh seven-year mandate after polling 53.66 percent of the vote. His closest rival, 76-year-old Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesperson, came second with 35.19 percent.

With this victory, Biya begins his eighth consecutive term and is set to remain in office until at least 2032, by which time he will be nearly 100 years old.

The result cements his position as the world’s oldest serving head of state and one of the longest-ruling leaders globally.

Opposition parties and civil society groups have questioned the credibility of the election, citing reports of irregularities and security incidents, including gunfire near Tchiroma’s home in Garoua.

A former Editor of The PUNCH newspapers, Mr. Dayo Oketola, is set to be named as the spokesman to the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan.

Oketola is to replace Rotimi Oyekanmi, who served under the previous INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

A multiple-award-winning journalist, Oketola brings nearly two decades of experience in news, business journalism and editorial leadership. He previously served as News Editor and Business Editor at The Punch, and more recently as its Editor, where he led the newspaper to win the Newspaper of the Year award at the 2023 Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA).

Shortly after his inauguration, Amupitan reaffirmed his commitment to restoring public confidence in elections, saying the success of INEC depends on teamwork, accountability and ensuring every voter’s confidence that their vote counts.

Oketola’s appointment is seen as part of the commission’s broader communication and public engagement strategy as it enters a new phase under Amupitan’s leadership.

A former chairperson of a Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State has been accused of spending about ₦492 million within 72 hours, leaving only ₦20 million in the council’s account — just three days before her tenure ended.

The allegation was detailed in a report cited by Lanre Adewole, a senior editor with Tribune Newspapers, in his column published on Sunday.

According to Adewole, the report — which was submitted to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa — formed part of discussions during a recent meeting between the legislators and council chairpersons in the state.

The report alleged that the former LCDA boss received ₦512 million as federal allocation for her final month in office and expended almost the entire amount before handing over.

“It was three days to her exit. By the time the new man took over, ₦492 million had disappeared,” Adewole wrote.
“She spent ₦492 million in 72 hours, leaving behind a paltry ₦20 million for her successor.”

The report also claimed that seven councillors who served with the former chairperson received ₦1 million each, while supervisory councillors were allegedly given “parting gifts” running into millions of naira.

Between January and July 2025, the LCDA was said to have received a total of ₦4.8 billion in allocations.

In addition, the report linked the ex-chairperson to the ownership of a multi-million-naira hotel in Osogbo, Osun State, and a property in Magodo GRA Phase 2, Lagos, both of which are reportedly under scrutiny.

Quoting excerpts from the submission to the Speaker, Adewole wrote that the document described a “disturbing pattern” of alleged looting among some immediate past and newly elected local government chairmen in Lagos State.

“The brazen mismanagement of public funds by immediate past and newly elected Local Government chairmen in Lagos State is unparalleled by any Local Government in Nigeria,” the report stated.
“There is a formula ratio of 30% to the management staff from payment made from the LG accounts — tagged as ‘RUN’ — plus another 5% for retirement.”

The document further alleged that some senior council officials pay between ₦5 million and ₦20 million to secure postings, while also remitting monthly premiums of about ₦2.5 million to maintain their positions.

The report also mentioned that one former chairman allegedly diverted over ₦2 billion into private property development, while another reportedly embarked on lavish foreign trips to London, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai “under the guise of official duties.”

It added that despite warnings from Speaker Obasa, some immediate past council chairmen allegedly continue to control council accounts and award contracts to themselves through proxy arrangements.

The document called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to order a full forensic audit of all local councils and LCDAs, recover misappropriated funds, and sanction any indicted officials.

“Lagosians demand accountability, not luxury junkets funded by their sweat,” the report stated.
“Failure to address this crisis risks normalizing corruption and crippling local governance.”

Officials of the Lagos State Government were yet to respond to the allegations as of press time.