The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will be bound by the final court decision on whether Atiku Abubakar can contest the 2027 presidential election.

What INEC said about Atiku

Speaking in London on Thursday, 12 November 2026, where he was briefing an audience at Chatham House on election preparations, INEC chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said the commission would follow whatever final ruling the courts give in the dispute over Atiku's nomination. A Federal High Court in Abuja on 5 November nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and reportedly voided the primary that produced Atiku as its candidate. The ADC has appealed, and its lawyer has argued that the judgment contained no express order invalidating Atiku's candidacy.

Materials on the move

Separately, INEC National Commissioner Professor Rhoda Gumus said on Thursday that the commission had begun moving non-sensitive election materials to some geopolitical zones. Speaking while receiving a delegation from Kenya's electoral commission, she said INEC had completed nine of the 14 activities on its election timetable, finished producing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and sent the first two batches to most states. She urged registered voters to collect their cards and said staff training was under way.

Background

The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027. Amupitan recently completed a tour of the six geopolitical zones to assess readiness. Separately, a Federal High Court in Kaduna on Thursday nullified an ADC primary in the state, adding to the party's legal troubles.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to take personal responsibility for worsening insecurity in Nigeria.

The figures

In a statement issued on Thursday, 12 November 2026, by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication for his campaign, Atiku cited a security tracker run by the Centre for Democracy and Development, which recorded 638 people killed in insecurity incidents in October, up from 396 in September. The North-East accounted for 409 of the deaths. He also pointed to United Nations figures showing that nearly 64,000 people have fled violence in northern Nigeria and crossed into Niger.

His demand

The statement said the President should accept responsibility for the security situation rather than blame others.

Background

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has made insecurity and the economy key themes of his campaign. This week the DSS intercepted a large weapons consignment in Sokoto State. The Presidency had not responded to the statement at the time of writing. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde has explained why he is running against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, three years after supporting him.

His reasons

In a newsletter published on Thursday, 12 November 2026, Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), said his decision was not about personal rivalry or a desire to live in Aso Rock. He said he backed Tinubu in 2023 because he believed the President's experience and relationships could unite the country. He listed four concerns: that improved economic figures have not translated into better lives for ordinary Nigerians; that the government keeps blaming problems it inherited; that political alliances appear to serve political rather than national interests, while opposition parties have been weakened; and that fuel subsidy removal and currency reforms came without enough protection for citizens.

What he would have done

Makinde said he would have used the transition period to coordinate with governors through the National Economic Council and prepare support measures before removing the subsidy. He pointed to Oyo's response, saying his government deployed extra buses, froze fares and introduced half-price travel for students and the elderly within 11 days, and later delivered food relief to 200,000 households. He also noted that Tinubu had opposed an abrupt subsidy removal under President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.

Background

The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027. The President has defended his reforms, saying ending the subsidy freed money for infrastructure and other investments. His campaign had not responded to the newsletter at the time of writing.

A town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos was disrupted on Thursday morning, 12 November 2026, when suspected thugs stormed the venue.

What happened

The attackers, armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones, arrived at an event centre in Oregun, Ikeja, where supporters of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi and his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso had gathered. The atmosphere had been calm, with supporters singing and dancing before the meeting began. According to a journalist at the scene, the group was heard saying the NDC supporters were few and could be overpowered, and some members were heard asking for clearance to enter with guns.

Supporters fight back

Many people inside the hall fled when the attackers forced their way in, while motorists on Kudirat Abiola Way turned back to avoid the area. NDC supporters then regrouped, reportedly chased the attackers out of the hall and caught one of them in the car park. It is not clear how many people were injured, who sent the attackers, or whether anyone has been arrested. The police had not publicly commented at the time of writing.

Meeting goes ahead

Despite the attack, the town hall went ahead later in the day, with Obi addressing supporters and pledging to deliver at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity within four years if elected.

Background

Obi won Lagos in the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate, with more than 580,000 votes, in a state seen as a stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Campaign-related violence has been reported against several parties in recent weeks, and on Wednesday the Inspector-General of Police warned officers not to aid thuggery, while the European Union raised concerns about violence ahead of the 16 January 2027 election.