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?

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sent a pointed message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting he remains determined to contest the 2027 presidential election despite the legal and political battles surrounding the race.

In a statement attributed to him, Atiku reportedly declared that he is on the ballot and that the courts cannot be used to escape the verdict of Nigerians.

A direct challenge

The message is a direct challenge to Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as political activity builds ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It also raises a familiar question about the role of the judiciary in Nigeria's elections. Court judgments, disputes over party nominations and allegations of irregularities have shaped the country's politics for years.

What is at stake

For President Tinubu, the next election will come amid continuing public debate over the cost of living, economic reforms and insecurity. Opposition politicians hope to turn those concerns into votes, while the government points to its reforms as long-term fixes.

For Atiku, getting onto the ballot will depend on party nomination processes, electoral requirements and the outcome of any legal decisions.

One thing is clear: the battle for 2027 is already taking shape, and more political confrontations are likely as the election draws closer.

Over to you

If Atiku faces Tinubu again in 2027, do you think Nigerians will vote differently from how they voted in 2023? Or will the opposition need a completely different arrangement to win?

A Federal High Court in Abuja has set aside the nomination of retired Major General Nuhu Angbazo as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Nasarawa State.

The judgment

In a ruling reported on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, Justice Mohammed Umar held that the party's governorship primary was inconclusive because results from Karu Local Government Area were not included. The judge said shutting out party members in Karu meant the exercise could not validly produce a candidate. The case was brought by a former Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, who took part in the primary alongside Angbazo and Senator Mohammed Onawo, who represents Nasarawa South.

Orders

The court ordered the ADC to hold a fresh primary in Karu, restrained Angbazo from presenting himself as the party's candidate, and barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising him as such. The plaintiff's lawyer welcomed the ruling and said the party must now complete the primary properly before any candidate can be recognised.

Background

The ruling adds to the ADC's legal troubles. This week, another Federal High Court judgment removed the party's David Mark-led national leadership and voided Atiku Abubakar's presidential nomination, a ruling the party has said it will challenge. Nasarawa is governed by the APC's Abdullahi Sule, who is completing his second term. Angbazo has not publicly said whether he will appeal.

What happens next

Unless the ruling is overturned on appeal, the ADC will have to return to Karu to finish the primary before it can field a governorship candidate in the state.