Rotimi Amaechi, the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for 2027, says former President Muhammadu Buhari promised to back him as his preferred candidate at the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.

What he said

Speaking in a radio interview in Lagos on Friday, 6 November 2026, Amaechi said Buhari had given him the assurance in writing. Because of it, he said, he held back from campaigning, lobbying delegates or making political deals before the primary, which he now considers his biggest mistake. He said his refusal to promise positions such as the vice-presidency and the post of Secretary to the Government of the Federation to governors cost him support.

Claims about religion

Amaechi also accused President Bola Tinubu's camp of appealing to religious identity to win Northern delegates, alleging that a delegation of Muslim politicians from the South-West urged governors in the North-West to back Tinubu on religious grounds. He said he would never use religion to win an election. Tinubu's camp had not responded to the claims at the time of writing.

Background

Tinubu won the June 2022 APC primary at Eagle Square in Abuja with 1,271 votes to Amaechi's 316, and went on to win the 2023 presidential election. Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, directed Buhari's successful 2015 campaign and served as his Minister of Transportation. Buhari, who died in 2025, did not publicly endorse any aspirant at the primary. Amaechi is now Atiku Abubakar's running mate, though a recent court judgment voided Atiku's nomination, a ruling the ADC has appealed.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has spoken about how he survived imprisonment under the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha.

What he said

Speaking in Yoruba at a book event at the University of Ibadan, in a video shared on Saturday, 7 November 2026, Obasanjo said Abacha had decided to kill him along with the late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and Chief MKO Abiola, the acknowledged winner of the annulled 12 June 1993 presidential election. He said Abacha had confided the plan to the late Ibadan philanthropist Chief Alao Arisekola.

Foreign intervention

Obasanjo said former US President Jimmy Carter travelled to Nigeria and spoke to Abacha on his behalf, while former British prime minister James Callaghan went further, warning Abacha that he would face death himself if he went ahead. Obasanjo also said prayer played a central role in his survival, describing himself as a committed prayer warrior in detention.

Background

Obasanjo, a former military head of state, was jailed in 1995 over an alleged coup plot, which he always denied. Yar'Adua died in detention in 1997, and Abiola died in custody in July 1998, a month after Abacha's own death. Obasanjo was released after Abacha died and was elected president in 1999, serving two terms. At the same event, he also warned against sending children into armed conflict, drawing on his experience in the civil war.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has once again spoken boldly about his political influence in Rivers State, dismissing the chances of former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and insisting he remains a major force in the state.

"You cannot wish me away"

According to Wike, he would only have reason to worry if Amaechi stood a realistic chance of a significant political comeback in Rivers State.

The former Rivers governor made it clear that leaving Government House in Port Harcourt has not reduced his influence or weakened the structures he built over the years.

"I am not a governor, I am a minister, but you cannot wish me away in Rivers State, because the people know what I stand for and because of the people I have raised," Wike said.

His statement appears to be a direct message to those who believe his appointment as FCT Minister has taken him away from the centre of Rivers politics.

Claims about the APC

Wike also claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had little political strength in Rivers State before he decided to support the party.

"Before I decided to support the APC, the party did not exist in Rivers State," he said.

That is a bold claim, given the long rivalry between Wike and Amaechi, who both served as governors of Rivers State at different times.

"I have killed the Obi wave"

Wike did not limit his remarks to Rivers. He also turned his attention to the movement around NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, claiming he had already weakened its influence in the FCT.

"As for the NDC, I have killed the Obi wave in the FCT," he said.

The remarks reflect Wike's confidence in his political strength, although his claims about the APC and about Obi's support remain his own assessment.

The road to 2027

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the political battle in Rivers State is expected to draw even more attention. Wike, Amaechi and other influential figures may once again find themselves on opposing sides as parties prepare for another contest.

For now, Wike is making one thing clear to his opponents: he may no longer be governor, but he has no intention of surrendering his influence in Rivers State.

Over to you

Is Wike still as politically powerful in Rivers State as he believes, or will the 2027 elections reveal a different picture?

DNA samples have been collected from the remains of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad, and from his young son, Liam, as the long-running dispute over the child's paternity moves towards a resolution.

What happened

According to reports on Saturday, 7 November 2026, the exercise took place on Saturday, 31 October, under the supervision of a Lagos court. The court had approved an application by Mohbad's widow, Omowunmi (Wunmi) Aloba, for a DNA test to establish Liam's paternity, and appointed a welfare officer to oversee the process. Samples were first taken from the singer's remains at the Mainland General Hospital in Yaba, then escorted under tight security to the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, where Liam's samples were also collected.

Who was present

The exercise was reportedly carried out with heavy security because of concerns about possible crowds. Mohbad's mother, his younger brother and his widow were present. The results have not been made public.

Background

Mohbad died in Lagos in September 2023 at the age of 27. His death led to protests, a police investigation and a coroner's inquest. Since then, his father, Joseph Aloba, has repeatedly called for a DNA test on Liam, which led to a bitter public dispute with Wunmi and divided the singer's fans. The singer's death has also been at the centre of this week's public feud between VeryDarkMan and Davido.

What happens next

The results are expected once the forensic analysis is complete.