A live television debate took an awkward turn on Tuesday night, 10 November 2026, when Nigeria's national emergency number failed to connect after a ruling party official insisted it worked.

What happened

Speaking on a Channels Television programme to highlight the government's achievements, Alwan Hassan, a member of the APC presidential campaign council, said the 112 emergency response system had been upgraded and worked reliably nationwide. To prove his point, he dared the anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, to call the number live on air. The anchor accepted, dialled 112 on his phone, but the call did not go through.

Background

The 112 toll-free number is meant to connect people to police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services across Nigeria. Emergency response became a talking point last week when actor Kunle Afod complained about the response to a crash on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

The son of the second wife at the centre of the viral Ukehe controversy has spoken out, begging Nigerians to stop attacking his mother.

"Is it not enough already?"

"Nigerians, please stop attacking my mum. Is it not enough already? That woman does not deserve all this hate," he said.

"Do you want her to die? If anything happens to my mum, you people won't like it. Please, this is enough."

How it started

His mother has faced a wave of criticism online since a video from his father's Ozo title-taking ceremony went viral. In the video, the second wife's children reportedly refused to spray money on the first wife, Mrs Gertrude Anulika Ngwu, despite repeated appeals from the master of ceremonies.

Claims then spread online that Mrs Anulika had endured years of mockery over being childless and had moved back to her father's home. Those claims have not been independently verified.

Since then, well-wishers have visited Mrs Anulika with gifts and money, and the Enugu governor's wife sent a representative with cash and promises of a house and a business.

The other side of the story

The son's plea is a reminder that there are always two sides to a family story, and that online anger can quickly turn into harassment.

Sympathy for Mrs Anulika is understandable. But insults and threats against another woman, whose side of the story has not been heard, help no one. Families caught up in viral moments are still real people.

Over to you

Has the online reaction to the Ukehe video gone too far? Can Nigerians support Mrs Anulika without attacking the other family?

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 African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Kaduna State government of sealing Arewa House to prevent its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, from meeting Northern stakeholders there.

What the ADC said

In a statement on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, issued by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication for the ADC presidential campaign council, the party said Atiku's team had chosen Arewa House in Kaduna as the venue for a consultation on Thursday, 13 November, but that the state government sealed the building beforehand. Atiku himself said his campaign had proposed the venue and that the government sealed it the same day.

The party's complaint

The ADC described Arewa House as part of the shared heritage of Northern Nigeria and said using it to block a political gathering was an insult to the region. It held President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible, saying a ruling party must not use government power to block opposition activities. There was no immediate public response from the Kaduna State government, which is led by the APC, to the allegation.

Background

Arewa House, the former residence of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the late Premier of the Northern Region, is a historic institution in Kaduna. Atiku is contesting the 2027 presidential election despite a court ruling that voided his nomination, which the ADC has appealed.