The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has defended President Bola Tinubu's academic record, describing him as a genius.

What he said

Speaking on a television politics programme on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, Alausa reportedly said Tinubu graduated with a first class degree in accounting from Chicago State University in the United States. He said he knew the university well, had visited it many times, and had met many of the President's former classmates in person. He urged Nigerians to disregard what he described as the opposition's claims about the President's credentials, and called Tinubu the first internationally exposed president.

Background

Questions about the President's academic records were raised by opponents before and after the 2023 election. Chicago State University released records confirming that Tinubu graduated in 1979, and the Supreme Court dismissed petitions challenging his election, including claims about his certificates. Opposition figures have continued to raise the issue in political debates. Supporters say the matter has been settled by the courts and the university.

Background on the minister

Alausa, a medical doctor who practised in the United States, was appointed Minister of Education in 2024. He has introduced several policy changes in the sector.

How people reacted

APC supporters welcomed the comments, while critics said the minister's remarks would not end the debate and that voters care more about the economy than academic records.

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.