Yunusa Tanko, a former spokesman for Peter Obi and ex-national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, has joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) campaign for the 2027 presidential election.

The new role

At the inauguration of the SDP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, Tanko was named its national coordinator. In his acceptance speech he thanked the party's leadership and pledged full commitment to its presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo. He said he had reached out to both Obi and Senator Seriake Dickson, national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), before taking up the post, and described his relationship with Adebayo as dating back to the 2023 election cycle.

How he left Obi's camp

Tanko was removed as national coordinator of the Obidient Movement in October 2026 and briefly served as Obi's political adviser for Northern Nigeria. He resigned from that role on 30 October, saying he was returning to the National Consultative Front, which he co-chairs with Professor Pat Utomi. He took on that position in October after the death of former House of Representatives Speaker Ghali Na'Abba, who had co-chaired the group.

Background

Obi, the 2023 Labour Party candidate, is now the NDC presidential candidate with Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate. Adebayo was also the SDP's presidential candidate in 2023. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027. Obi's campaign had not publicly reacted to Tanko's new role at the time of writing.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has reportedly removed some of its spokespersons following the controversy over a failed attempt to demonstrate Nigeria's 112 emergency number on live television.

Only three can now speak

According to reports, President Bola Tinubu's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced on Wednesday that the spokespersons earlier named by the campaign council had been removed.

He said only three officials are now authorised to speak on behalf of the council: Senator Abdulaziz Yari, the Director General; Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake; and Minister of Information Mohammed Idris.

What happened on live TV

It all started on Tuesday, when APC official Alwan Hassan appeared as a guest on a live television politics programme.

While discussing the achievements of the APC-led government, Hassan pointed to the 112 emergency number as an example of a working public service. He explained that Nigerians could dial it whenever they needed urgent help, whether in a medical emergency, a security threat or a road accident.

To prove his point, he challenged the host to dial 112 right there in the studio.

That was where things took an unexpected turn. The host tried the number, but the call failed to connect. He tried again, with the same result.

Hassan insisted the line was working and suggested network problems might have stopped the calls going through. His explanation did little to stop the criticism that followed.

The backlash

Clips of the interview spread quickly online, with Nigerians questioning the reliability of a service people are meant to depend on in life-threatening situations. Opposition figures also seized on the incident to challenge the government's claims about improved public services.

The real question

Is removing spokespersons really the answer, or should the government be more concerned about finding out why the emergency calls failed?

Someone calling 112 during an armed robbery, a serious accident or a medical emergency may not have the luxury of trying again and again until the network connects.

One failed demonstration does not prove the whole emergency system is broken. But it raises questions that deserve proper answers, and for many Nigerians, those answers matter far more than who is allowed to speak for a political campaign.

Over to you

Was removing the spokespersons necessary, or should the priority be investigating and improving the 112 emergency response system?

Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso have visited Yelewata community in Benue State, bringing some hope to residents who have endured years of hardship and neglect.

A moment of remembrance

Yelewata was the scene of a deadly attack in June 2025 that left many residents dead and shocked the nation. During the visit, Obi knelt to lay a wreath at the memorial bearing the names of the victims, as a large crowd looked on.

Donations and promises

The two political leaders promised to provide a motorised borehole to help address the community's water needs. They also donated ₦10 million to support vulnerable children, while Professor Shija contributed another ₦2 million towards the education of orphans.

The people speak

Beyond the donations, the people of Yelewata had their own stories to tell. They spoke about years of neglect, the difficulties they face every day and the lack of meaningful government support.

Imagine living for years without some of the basic things that should make life easier, while those elected to serve appear distant from your suffering. For residents, the visit was a chance to make their voices heard and draw attention to their situation.

Action, not just visits

Promises must be followed by action. The community needs lasting solutions, not just occasional visits.

Leadership should be about compassion, listening to the people and doing something practical to improve their lives.

Over to you

What do you think of this visit by Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to Yelewata?

The Nigeria Police Force says it has raided facilities allegedly used to manipulate online conversations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

What the police said

Speaking on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, at a webinar on AI, misinformation and the 2027 elections, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, said officers had carried out targeted raids on so-called phone farms after receiving information about a coordinated effort to interfere with the polls. He explained that a single operator can use hundreds of phones and automated accounts to push the same message, creating the impression that many people are independently discussing an issue. He said the raids had disrupted the operation.

Suspect arrested

Abdullahi said a suspect was in custody after officers traced allegedly false reports about a candidate from the South-South. He said the reports were allegedly meant to discredit the candidate and influence voters. The suspect has not been named or charged in court.

Free speech

He said the police would prosecute people found to have spread false information capable of undermining the elections, but stressed that enforcement would be guided by the law and that the force would not interfere with legitimate public debate. He also said the police had acquired tools that can detect deepfake videos, altered photos and cloned voices.

Background

At the same event, INEC said its own staff in about 10 states had uploaded AI-generated photos to the voters' register. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.