President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a request linked to the long-awaited Ibom Deep Seaport, announcing the decision while addressing supporters at his presidential campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

"I look, and I approve it"

Speaking from the podium, flanked by party leaders and security officials, Tinubu told the crowd that the state's leadership had brought a request to him.

"Now your leader makes a request, for international export status. I look, and I approve it," he said, to cheers from supporters.

The Ibom Deep Seaport has been one of Akwa Ibom's biggest ambitions for years, with successive state governments pushing for it as a way to open the state to international trade and create jobs.

Promises of jobs and skills

Tinubu also used the occasion to make several promises about the state's economic future.

"I promise you skill development. I promise you jobs," he said. "We are going to plant a lot of economic trees."

He pointed to the palm tree, a major part of the region's economy, as an opportunity. "There is no reason why we cannot use the value of palm trees and the palm here," he said, adding that there was no reason the country could not create skills development that is "everlasting".

"Development must be even"

The President said growth must reach every part of the country. "Development must be even, inclusive and reasonable. It must bring progress and create economic value," he said.

What it means

If the approval leads to real progress on the seaport, it could be a major boost for Akwa Ibom's economy, bringing shipping, logistics and related businesses to the state.

But campaign promises are easy to make at rallies. Nigerians will be watching to see whether the approval is followed by funding, construction and the jobs that have been promised.

Over to you

Is Tinubu's approval of the Ibom Deep Seaport request a genuine step forward for Akwa Ibom, or just another campaign promise ahead of 2027?

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said that Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has ruined his own chances in the 2027 election.

What he said

Speaking at an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday, 6 November 2026, Shettima reportedly said Obi had run himself out of the race through what he called lies and bogus statistics. He suggested that Obi had recently travelled abroad quietly before returning to Nigeria, and that he had thrown away the goodwill he once enjoyed among voters. The vice-president also mocked Obi's frequent comparisons between Nigeria and Bangladesh, saying a shirt made for one country cannot fit another, and dismissed Obi's claim that he won the 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu in Akwa Ibom

Before the rally, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated several projects built by Governor Umo Eno's administration, including the new terminal building at Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo. Tinubu described the visit as a homecoming, praised Eno as a visionary leader, and said the airport's international flight status was the result of the governor's commitment to the state. The President also took a swipe at Obi at the event over erosion in Anambra State.

Background

Obi, a former Anambra governor, came third in the 2023 presidential election and challenged the result in court, insisting he won. He is running again in 2027 with Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027. Obi's campaign had not publicly responded to Shettima's remarks at the time of writing.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned of an alleged plot to threaten, intimidate and abduct temporary election workers ahead of the 2027 general elections.

What INEC said

Speaking in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday, 6 November 2026, during a North Central zonal readiness assessment, INEC chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said intelligence-led operations carried out with the Department of State Services (DSS) had led to the arrest of key suspects, who have since been charged in court. He warned that anyone who interferes with or harms election workers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He did not give details of the suspects or the charges.

Warning to staff

Amupitan also warned electoral officers against negligence and political bias, saying neutrality at local level would directly affect public trust in the elections. He said credible elections cannot be achieved through last-minute arrangements, and that INEC is working with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to tackle threats early.

Background

INEC expects to manage more than 103 million registered voters across 176,846 polling units in 2027. The commission relies on hundreds of thousands of ad hoc staff, many of them members of the National Youth Service Corps, to run polling units, and attacks on election workers and offices have been a concern in past elections. This week INEC has also faced questions about about 1.5 million questionable entries found in the voter register, and disowned a fake poster about the ADC's leadership.

What happens next

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for 16 January 2027.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a swipe at former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, comparing their records on tackling environmental challenges.

What Tinubu said

Speaking in Akwa Ibom State, Tinubu accused Obi of failing to confront the serious erosion problems affecting Anambra State during his time as governor, and pointed out that Obi is now running for president under the NDC.

"Peter Obi is in one party they call NDC where he's running for president. He ran away from erosion in Anambra. He couldn't confront erosion. I, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, confronted the Atlantic Ocean. I tamed it for you," Tinubu said.

The President appeared to be referring to efforts to reclaim and protect land along the Lagos coastline, particularly the Eko Atlantic project, which began during his time as Lagos State governor.

Can the two really be compared?

Anambra has struggled with severe gully erosion for decades, with communities losing farmland, roads and homes. Tackling it requires substantial funding, engineering work and cooperation between different levels of government.

The Eko Atlantic project, on the other hand, involved major private investment and extensive coastal engineering to reclaim land from the Atlantic Ocean.

Both involve serious environmental challenges, but their circumstances, funding arrangements and engineering requirements are quite different.

The road to 2027

As the 2027 presidential election draws closer, exchanges like this are likely to become more common, with leaders publicly questioning one another's records in office.

Nigerians may also want to look closely at the actual results of these projects and the roles played by the leaders involved.

Over to you

Does Tinubu's role in the Eko Atlantic project give him the right to question Peter Obi's record on erosion in Anambra State, or should Nigerians judge both men by their overall performance in public office?