The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has named the venue for the official launch of Atiku Abubakar's 2027 presidential campaign in Sokoto.

The venue

According to reports, the campaign will be flagged off at the party's secretariat on Ilorin Road, Sokoto, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Senator Ibrahim Lamido, who coordinates the ADC presidential campaign in the state, said Atiku was expected to arrive at Sultan Abubakar III International Airport at about 9am, and invited supporters and members of the public to welcome him before moving to the venue. He urged party executives in all 23 local government areas of the state to mobilise supporters.

Why the venue was kept quiet

The party had earlier withheld details of the venue, citing alleged intimidation, an attack on the convoy of its governorship candidate and the sealing of one of its campaign offices. On Tuesday, Atiku accused the Department of State Services of recruiting protesters to disrupt the rally, a claim the DSS had not publicly answered. The Sokoto State Government said it sealed the office over questions about who owns the building and to prevent further disturbances.

Background

Atiku, a former vice-president, is the ADC's candidate after the party became the platform of an opposition coalition. Sokoto is in the North-West, a region with a large share of Nigeria's voters, and is governed by the APC. Other candidates, including President Bola Tinubu of the APC and Peter Obi of the NDC, have also been holding rallies and town halls across the country.

What happens next

Security agencies are expected to be deployed in Sokoto for the event, and the ADC plans further rallies in other states.

Former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, has announced her return to active politics ahead of the 2027 general elections, and has thrown her weight behind the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The announcement

In a statement issued on her behalf by her special assistant, Olatundun Gabriel, on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, Akinjide's team thanked her supporters for their loyalty and patience and said a new phase of political engagement had begun. The statement reportedly declared her support for President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope agenda and for the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli. Her team urged supporters across the state to stay united as she resumes political activity.

Background

Akinjide served as Minister of State for the FCT under President Goodluck Jonathan and was a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State. Her move adds to a series of political realignments in Oyo, where Governor Seyi Makinde is completing his second term and is now the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement. Several officials have recently left Makinde's government, including a commissioner and two other appointees who resigned on Monday.

Why it matters

Oyo is one of the largest states in the South West, and the governorship seat will be open in 2027. The APC hopes defections like Akinjide's will help it win back the state, while the PDP and other parties insist they remain strong.

A pro-Tinubu campaign group backed by former Niger Delta militant leader Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has launched its Ogun State chapter and donated 26 campaign vehicles, according to reports.

The launch

The PBAT Door-to-Door Movement held the inauguration on Friday, 30 October 2026, at the Ake Palace Arcade in Abeokuta, attended by politicians, government officials and supporters of President Bola Tinubu. Representing Tompolo, High Chief Kestin Pondi, managing director of Tantita Security Services, said the vehicles would be deployed across Ogun State's 26 constituencies for community outreach and voter mobilisation. He described the President's economic reforms as important steps for national development.

What was said

Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, praised the movement's contribution to political engagement in the state. The APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, said political stakeholders were aiming to deliver at least two million votes for Tinubu in Ogun in the 2027 presidential election. The movement's national coordinator, Sunday Asuku, said it would work with other support groups.

Background

Tompolo's company, Tantita Security Services, holds a federal contract to protect oil pipelines in the Niger Delta, and the government credits it with helping to reduce oil theft. Ogun is the home state of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and borders Lagos, Tinubu's political base. APC supporters say such groups help the party reach voters at the grassroots.

Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has instructed his supporters to vote for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at every level in the 2027 elections, according to a close ally.

The message

Hajiya Hafsat Baba, the ADC's national vice-chairman for the North-West, reportedly conveyed the message at a meeting in Kaduna that brought together various El-Rufai support groups. She said the directive had been verified by El-Rufai himself and covered federal, state and local elections. The meeting was held to unite the groups and coordinate their activities ahead of the polls.

'Base still strong'

Another ally, Ibrahim Hussaini, rejected claims that El-Rufai had lost his political base, saying his loyalists remain strong across Kaduna State and the wider North.

Background

El-Rufai served two terms as governor of Kaduna from 2015 to 2023 as a member of the APC and was a key figure in President Bola Tinubu's 2023 campaign. He later fell out with the party and joined the opposition coalition that adopted the ADC, which has fielded former vice-president Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate. His relationship with his successor, Governor Uba Sani of the APC, has been tense. El-Rufai has also been involved in legal disputes in recent months and has appealed for a fair trial.

Why it matters

Kaduna is one of the most populous states in the North-West, a region with a large share of Nigeria's voters. The APC says it remains strong in the state, while the ADC hopes El-Rufai's support will help it make gains there.