Naija & Western gistNews · Celebs · Trends

Trend Naija

Tuesday, 3 November 2026Lagos · LondonUpdated 11:42 GMT

Home › 2027 elections

2027 elections
Reported

Atiku's campaign says Umrah will not win Tinubu a second term

Portrait of Atiku Abubakar in a pinstripe suit
Photo: Etauso / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

The campaign of African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar says President Bola Tinubu's recent Umrah in Saudi Arabia will not guarantee him a second term.

What was said

Speaking on a television politics programme on Monday night, 2 November 2026, Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication for the ADC presidential campaign council, reportedly said political mandates cannot be won through religious display. He argued that pilgrimage should be a personal matter, not something publicised as a national event by political supporters, and said Nigerians would make their choice in 2027 based on the cost of living rather than prayers abroad. Asked whether Atiku would have joined Tinubu if invited, he said the former vice-president had supported Tinubu's earlier trips to Mecca. He also claimed Atiku was in a strong position in the North.

The President's side

Tinubu left Abuja for Makkah on 29 October. He described the trip as a chance to seek divine guidance, wisdom and resilience, and said that before the 2023 election he had performed Umrah and promised to return to give thanks if his prayers were answered. During the visit he was granted the rare privilege of entering the Kaaba, where he said he prayed for peace, unity and prosperity for Nigeria. The Presidency has rejected claims that the trip was for medical reasons.

Background

The trip has drawn comment across the political spectrum. Former senator Dino Melaye challenged Tinubu to a Quran recitation contest, while Oyo governor Seyi Makinde asked the Presidency to explain the purpose of the journey. APC supporters have welcomed the visit and the honour extended by the Saudi leadership.

More gist

2027 electionsReported
Peter Obi
Photo: VOA / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Video of Catholic priest leading campaign song for Obi and Kwankwaso goes viral

A video showing a Catholic priest leading his congregation in an Igbo song praising Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso's party during a Sunday service has gone viral. It adds to debate over religious leaders taking sides ahead of 2027.

Read more

A video of a Catholic priest leading worshippers in a song backing NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has spread widely on social media.

What the video shows

In the clip, reportedly filmed during a Sunday service, the priest leads the congregation in an Igbo song saying the party of Obi and Kwankwaso is better, and the worshippers sing along. The priest's name and the location of the church have not been confirmed. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which ratified Obi as its presidential candidate in May, shared the video.

Religious leaders and politics

The video comes as religious leaders across Nigeria increasingly declare support for or against candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. According to reports, a separate bishops' conference has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term, while an Islamic cleric was reported to have urged Muslims to vote along religious lines. Last week, a Catholic bishop warned politicians against trying to manipulate the electoral system, and a priest urged Nigerians to collect their voter cards instead of complaining.

How people reacted

Obi's supporters celebrated the video, while critics said churches should not be used for partisan campaigns and warned that such displays could deepen religious and ethnic divisions. Others said priests, like all citizens, are entitled to their political views.

Background

Electoral rules prohibit the use of places of worship for political campaigns, although enforcement has historically been rare. The Catholic Church has not publicly commented on the video.

2027 electionsReported
Peter Obi
Photo: VOA / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Obi's camp denies viral report that he broke his neck in gym accident

Peter Obi's spokesman has reportedly dismissed as false a viral claim that the NDC presidential candidate was hospitalised after breaking his neck in a gym. He said Obi travelled abroad on Sunday for an international engagement.

Read more

The campaign of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has rejected a viral social media report claiming that he had been hospitalised after breaking his neck in a gym accident.

What the camp said

Obi's spokesman, Idris Zekeri, reportedly described the report and the photographs shared with it as completely false, in comments published on Monday, 2 November 2026. He said he was with the former Anambra governor on Sunday morning before Obi boarded a flight for an international engagement. Zekeri accused political opponents of making up the story to cause confusion among Obi's supporters ahead of the 2027 election.

Background

False health claims about political figures have become common in the run-up to the January 2027 elections. Last week, the Presidency rejected claims by activist Omoyele Sowore that President Bola Tinubu travelled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, saying he went for Umrah. Fact-checkers have also debunked a clip that claimed Obi said he could not defeat Tinubu. Obi, who is running with Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been touring states including Nasarawa and Ebonyi in recent days.

Why it matters

Observers say fake stories and doctored images can mislead voters, and INEC's chairman warned on Monday that cheap AI tools are making such material easier to produce. Voters are being urged to check claims with official sources before sharing them.

What happens next

Obi is expected to resume campaigning when he returns from his trip.

2027 elections
President Bola Tinubu
Photo: Nosa Asemota / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Wike says Rainbow Coalition critics cannot even unite their own families

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has said politicians who deny the Rainbow Coalition exists cannot hold their own families together, and urged FCT residents to vote for Tinubu. In Nasarawa, the APC has denied joining the coalition after a rival party candidate was named on its campaign council.

Read more

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has hit back at critics of the Rainbow Coalition, the cross-party alliance he leads in support of President Bola Tinubu's re-election.

What Wike said

Speaking on Monday, 2 November 2026, at the commissioning of the Gwagwalada Civic Centre in Abuja and a meeting with APC and PDP stakeholders in the area council, Wike said some politicians who deny that the coalition exists have no capacity to hold their own families or communities together. He asked why leaders who once held opposing views could not work together for the public good, and praised local leaders in Gwagwalada for setting aside party differences. He urged residents to go to polling units, districts and communities and mobilise voters for Tinubu.

Row in Nasarawa

In Nasarawa State, the APC faced criticism after Kabiru Dallah, the Zenith Labour Party candidate for Lafia/Obi federal constituency, was listed on its youth mobilisation committee. Some members alleged a hidden deal with the Rainbow Coalition. The state party secretary, Yarus Daguza, said Dallah's name had been removed and that the Nasarawa APC is not part of the coalition. Some members called on Governor Abdullahi Sule to dissolve the list and form a new campaign council, while supporters of losing governorship aspirants complained that they had been left out by the party and its candidate, Senator Ahmed Wadada.

Background

The Rainbow Coalition brings together figures from the PDP and other parties who back Tinubu. Rivers governor Siminalayi Fubara has endorsed it, while Imo governor Hope Uzodimma, an APC leader, has rejected it in his state. Critics say it blurs party lines, while Wike says it puts the public interest first.

What happens next

The coalition's role is expected to remain a point of tension within the APC and PDP as campaigning continues.

2027 electionsReported
Portrait of Atiku Abubakar in a pinstripe suit
Photo: Etauso / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Atiku criticises Tinubu over retired police officers, promises pension reforms

ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has reportedly accused the Tinubu government of neglecting retired police officers protesting over pensions. He promised to restore their gratuity and act on a police pension bill within 30 days if elected.

Read more

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the treatment of retired police officers and unveiled what he called a Police Dignity Guarantee Plan.

What he said

In comments reported on Monday, 2 November 2026, Atiku condemned what he described as the government's failure to protect retired officers who have been protesting at the National Pension Commission in Abuja over their pensions. He reportedly faulted the administration for not acting on a police exit bill which he said has been awaiting the President's signature since March 2026.

His promises

Atiku said that if elected, he would restore gratuity for retired officers and implement a Police Pension Board Bill within 30 days of taking office. He said police officers who served the country deserve to retire with dignity.

Background

Retired police officers have held repeated protests in Abuja over what they say are poor pensions under the contributory pension scheme, and have called for police to be removed from the scheme. The federal government has said it is working on reforms to improve welfare for serving and retired officers. Atiku has recently launched several attacks on the government's record, including accusing Tinubu of failing to keep his promises on electricity. The APC has dismissed such criticism, saying the government's reforms are beginning to show results.

What happens next

The Presidency had not responded to Atiku's latest comments at the time of reporting.