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2027 elections

Reported

Fact check: Viral claim that Obi said he cannot beat Tinubu is false

1 Nov 2026, 17:42 GMT

A widely shared social media post claiming that NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi admitted he could not defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 has been found to be false.

The claim

An X user posted a short video of Obi with a caption attributing words to him, suggesting he had said he knew he could not beat Tinubu at the polls and was only staying in the race because young supporters asked him not to quit. The post was viewed more than 170,000 times.

What he actually said

According to a fact check published on Sunday, 1 November 2026, the clip came from a diaspora town hall Obi held in Manchester, United Kingdom, on 18 October 2026. In the full recording, he asked supporters to back a candidate with a record of public service and told them he needed their support. A review of both the short clip and the full recording found that he did not mention Tinubu, did not say he could not win, and did not talk about quitting the race.

Verdict

The claim is false. There is no evidence that Obi made the statement attributed to him in the caption.

Why it matters

Misleading captions on genuine videos are one of the most common forms of false information during election campaigns. INEC and civil society groups have warned about deepfakes and fake news ahead of the 2027 elections, and voters are advised to check claims against full recordings or trusted sources before sharing them.

The viral caption put false words in Obi's mouth.
The clip came from his Manchester town hall on 18 October.
He did not mention Tinubu or quitting the race.

More gist

2027 electionsReported

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

Atiku says Tinubu has broken his promise of constant electricity

1 Nov 2026, 17:42 GMT

Atiku Abubakar's campaign has accused President Tinubu of failing to keep his 2022 promise to provide constant electricity within four years. The ADC candidate says settling power-sector debts and passing laws is not the same as delivering power, and pledged to replace the band tariff system.

The presidential campaign of Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of breaking a key campaign promise on electricity.

What Atiku's campaign said

In a statement issued on Sunday, 1 November 2026, by Phrank Shaibu, communications director of the ADC presidential campaign, the campaign recalled that Tinubu promised during his 2022 campaign that Nigerians should not vote for him again if he failed to provide constant electricity in four years. The statement accused the ruling APC of hiding the failure behind announcements of new laws, bonds and committees, saying that settling old debts owed to power companies is not the same as building new generation capacity. It argued that signing a law or raising a bond does not produce electricity.

Tariffs and taxes

The campaign also questioned what would happen to electricity bills when subsidies end in 2027, although officials have said there will be no immediate tariff rise. It criticised a planned 5 per cent surcharge on some fuels under the Nigeria Tax Act, which the government says is not yet active. Atiku pledged to work with states and regulators to replace the current band system with a framework based on how much electricity customers actually receive.

The government's position

The Federal Government says it is fixing the power sector step by step. This week the Federal Executive Council approved procurement for new East and West super grids to raise transmission capacity to 19,000MW within two years, and the Minister of Power set a long-term target of 70,000MW by 2060. The government has also paid part of the debts owed to gas suppliers and power companies. The APC had not responded to Atiku's latest statement at the time of the report.

Why it matters

Electricity supply is one of the issues that matter most to voters, and all the main candidates have made promises on power.

2027 electionsReported

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

Barau predicts Tinubu victory as APC inaugurates campaign committees in Kano

1 Nov 2026, 17:42 GMT

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has reportedly declared that President Tinubu will win the 2027 election, speaking at the inauguration of APC campaign committees in three Kano local government areas. He also welcomed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's move to the APC.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has predicted victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

What he said

Speaking at the inauguration of APC campaign committees for Dawakin Tofa, Tofa and Rimin Gado local government areas in Kano State on Sunday, 1 November 2026, Barau reportedly said that, by God's grace, all indications showed Tinubu would win. He based his prediction on the assessment of political analysts and the direction of Nigerian politics. His media aide, Ismail Mudashir, confirmed the remarks in a statement.

Kano's importance

Barau urged the committees, which include party officials, lawmakers, council chairmen, new members and community elders, to campaign actively so that APC candidates win at every level. He described Kano as the state with the second-highest number of registered voters after Lagos, and said it deserves more federal attention and investment. He also welcomed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's move from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC.

Background

Kano is one of the biggest prizes in the election and the home state of Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is Peter Obi's running mate on the NDC ticket. Kwankwaso's Kwankwasiyya movement has dominated Kano politics in recent years, and the governor's defection to the APC is seen as a major boost for Tinubu in the state. The NDC's governorship candidate in Kano, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, is currently missing from INEC's list because of a court order.

What happens next

Both the APC and the NDC are expected to campaign heavily in Kano in the coming weeks.

2027 electionsReported

APC supporters reportedly attacked and vehicle burnt before Katsina governor's rally

1 Nov 2026, 14:42 GMT

Suspected hoodlums reportedly attacked APC supporters travelling to Governor Dikko Radda's campaign rally in Faskari, Katsina State, on Saturday and set a campaign vehicle on fire. Several people were injured, and police had not commented at the time of the report.

Violence has again marred campaigning in Katsina State, with supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly attacked on their way to a rally by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda.

What happened

According to reports on Sunday, 1 November 2026, suspected hoodlums ambushed APC supporters in Yankara town, Faskari Local Government Area, on Saturday as they travelled to a rally for President Bola Tinubu and the governor's 2027 campaigns. The attackers reportedly blocked a major road used by the campaign convoy and set fire to a campaign vehicle belonging to a support group, the Musa Adamu Network. The violence reportedly followed a religious procession in the area, which the attackers are said to have exploited. Several people were injured. A witness claimed there were deaths, but this has not been independently confirmed.

Reactions

The governor went ahead with the rally. The secretary of the Musa Adamu Network condemned the attack and called on security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible, while the state APC chairman, Bishir Saulawa, pledged a peaceful, issue-based campaign. The police had not commented at the time of the report.

Background

It is the second reported attack on an APC campaign in Katsina in less than a week, after suspected thugs disrupted a rally in Malumfashi. Opposition figures have also reported attacks, including on AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore in Ekiti and the ADC governorship candidate in Sokoto. Atiku Abubakar and other leaders have called for investigations and warned against political violence.

What happens next

Security agencies are under pressure to ensure safe campaigning as parties step up their activities ahead of the January 2027 elections.

2027 electionsReported

South-East governors urge region to back Tinubu at APC women's rally in Enugu

1 Nov 2026, 09:41 GMT

The governors of Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi, and a representative of Anambra's governor, have reportedly urged South-East voters to support President Tinubu's re-election at an APC women's rally in Enugu. The call sets up a direct contest with Peter Obi in his home region.

Four South-East state governments have thrown their weight behind President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, in a show of support in a region widely seen as Peter Obi's stronghold.

What happened

At an APC Women Mega Rally and Empowerment Programme for the South-East at Okpara Square, Enugu, on Saturday, 31 October 2026, the governors reportedly urged residents to back the President and APC candidates at all levels in the January 2027 elections.

What the governors said

Enugu Governor Peter Mbah said the region should build on the government's economic reforms rather than change course, comparing it to a sailor who does not abandon his ship mid-sea. He also described an empowerment programme for 5,000 women across the five South-East states. Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma said Igbo people were now seeing real inclusion and development under Tinubu, and that improved federal allocations had helped his state pay salaries and pensions regularly. Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru praised the APC's skills programmes and denied links to any coalition outside the party. Anambra Governor Charles Soludo was represented by his deputy, Gilbert Ibezim, who said the region should repay the administration with votes. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu also spoke, noting that no Igbo person had been president in six decades and praising the South East Development Commission.

Background

Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate and a former Anambra governor, won most of the South East in the 2023 presidential election. He has said he would serve only one term if elected, while some APC figures argue the region should aim for a longer stay in power through alliances. Obi had not responded to the rally at the time of the report.

What happens next

Both the APC and the NDC are expected to intensify their campaigns in the South East, which is likely to be one of the most closely watched regions in the election.