An opinion of a court upon which no issue had been joined by the parties amounts to obiter dictum and cannot therefore constitute a ground of appeal. See Bamgboye V. University of Ilorin (1999) 10 NWLR (Pt.622) 290. However, a Ratio decidendi according to the Black’s Law Dictionary simply means; “Reason for deciding.” The principle or rule of law on which the court’s decision is founded.” It could also mean the rule of law on which a later court thinks that a previous court’s judgment is founded.”
— C.B. Ogunbiyi, JSC. Ogbolosingha v. B.S.I.E.C. (2015) – SC.165/2013