President Bola Tinubu has launched one of his sharpest attacks yet on Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

What he said

Speaking at an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, 7 November 2026, Tinubu dismissed critics who point to economic hardship under his government, saying he was cleaning up the mess left by those who came before him and that Atiku was one of them. He also questioned how Atiku had built a university while he was vice-president, a remark widely seen as raising questions about how the former vice-president acquired his wealth while in public office.

Background

Atiku served as vice-president from 1999 to 2007 under Olusegun Obasanjo. He founded the American University of Nigeria in Yola, Adamawa State, and has long said his wealth comes from legitimate private business interests. He has repeatedly blamed Tinubu's policies, including the way fuel subsidy removal was handled, for rising prices. Tinubu's Rivers visit follows his trip to Akwa Ibom on Friday, where he said the naira would have become worthless without his reforms. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, whose Rainbow Coalition backs the President, is a key ally in Rivers, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara has also declared support for Tinubu.

Atiku's position

Atiku's campaign had not publicly responded to the remark at the time of writing. Atiku has vowed to stay in the race despite a court ruling that voided his nomination, which his party has appealed.

What happens next

The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027, and campaigns by all the major parties are expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and his Rainbow Coalition campaign have got people talking again, this time after he appeared visibly angry at the presidential campaign ground in Rivers State.

Counting heads

Wike was reportedly seen checking how many people each of his aides had brought to the venue. Photos show the minister, in his black and red hat and a rainbow "Coalition" sash bearing the APC logo, deep in conversation with aides and looking far from amused.

One can only feel sorry for any aide who collected mobilisation money and failed to deliver the expected crowd.

The turnout question

The expectation may have been a stadium filled to capacity, but the turnout has now become a talking point on social media.

That brings us to Peter Obi, whose supporters often describe his campaign crowds as organic, with people attending out of personal conviction rather than financial inducement.

Can anyone fill a stadium for free?

Crowd mobilisation, from buses to refreshments to small payments, has long been a feature of Nigerian political rallies across parties. Large crowds make for impressive pictures, but they do not always reflect how people will vote.

So one question remains: can any Nigerian politician genuinely fill a stadium without spending money on crowd mobilisation?

Nigerian politics will never stop surprising us.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara a strong personal assurance, telling him he will not regret the decision he has taken.

What Tinubu said

"Fubara, you will not regret what you have done as long as all of us are alive," the President said during his presidential campaign rally in the state.

Photos from the rally show Fubara smiling beside FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, both wearing red caps bearing Tinubu's image, a striking picture given the long-running feud between the two men.

Why the words matter

The statement is attracting attention because of the political tension that has surrounded Rivers State and the long-running power struggle between Governor Fubara and his political opponents.

For anyone who has followed Rivers politics closely, those words carry real weight. Fubara has faced some of the toughest political battles of his administration, with fights over political loyalty, control of the state legislature and the influence of powerful figures shaping events in the state.

A sacrifice, a deal, or a new understanding?

With the President offering such a personal assurance, questions are being raised. The President did not spell out exactly what decision he was referring to, or what he intends to do for the governor in return.

Was Tinubu acknowledging a major political sacrifice by Fubara? Was he reassuring him over a difficult decision? Or could this signal a new understanding within the political leadership of Rivers State ahead of 2027?

Over to you

What do you think Fubara has done, and what do you think the President has in store for him?

A youth group from Nigeria's Middle Belt has declared support for President Bola Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid, after backing Peter Obi in 2023.

What was announced

Aviation businessman Isaac Balami, who convenes the National Rebirth Movement and is also a national director in the pro-Tinubu City Boy Movement, said in remarks reported on Saturday, 7 November 2026, that the initiative was inspired by a recent meeting between the President and a delegation of Middle Belt elders led by former defence minister General Theophilus Danjuma. He said the youths had listened to their elders and decided to take responsibility for the region's political future. Balami said he had earlier led the group to meet the President's son, Seyi Tinubu, where they pledged 10 million votes from the Middle Belt.

A change of side

In 2023, Balami and the same group had reportedly been asked by some of the same elders to mobilise support for Obi, then the Labour Party candidate, who performed strongly in Plateau and Nasarawa states and drew large youth support across the North Central zone. Balami said a sense of abandonment after that election led to the change. The group says it will work with the City Boy Movement and the APC campaign council.

Background

Obi is now the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate. Both the APC and the opposition parties are campaigning hard in the North Central, which is seen as a key battleground. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Reactions

Obi's campaign had not publicly responded at the time of writing. The 10 million figure is a pledge and cannot be independently verified.