Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of stopping him from congratulating the Flamingos after their World Cup triumph.

What Obi said

Obi said he was at the airport in Abuja at about 7am on Monday, 9 November 2026, to catch a flight to Enugu, when he saw the Flamingos, who had just arrived with the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup trophy. He said he asked his protocol officer to find out if he could go over and welcome the players, but was told that NFF officials had refused, reportedly warning that anyone who allowed him near the team would lose their job.

'Not the first time'

Obi said this was not the first time he had been prevented from supporting a national team. He recalled travelling to Uyo in March 2025 to watch a World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe, and said that although he was warmly received before the match, he was not allowed the same access afterwards.

Background

The Flamingos beat Japan 2-1 in the final in Rabat on Saturday to become the first African team to win the tournament, and were welcomed back to Nigeria on Monday. President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady have both congratulated the team.

What happens next

The NFF had not publicly responded to Obi's claim at the time of writing.

Ebonyi State governor Francis Nwifuru has promised President Bola Tinubu 80 per cent of the state's votes in the 2027 presidential election.

What he said

Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential rally in Abakaliki on Monday, 9 November 2026, Nwifuru told the President that Ebonyi was an APC state, that 80 per cent of its votes were assured for him and that he would win by a landslide.

Background

The rally is part of Tinubu's campaign tour of the South-East and South-South, which has included stops in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states in the past week. Several South-East governors have declared support for the President, and the APGA in Anambra has also adopted him as its candidate. The South-East, however, is the home region of NDC candidate Peter Obi, who won most of the region's votes in 2023, and his party has set ambitious targets of its own, including 98 per cent of Anambra's votes.

How people reacted

The governor's pledge drew mixed reactions on social media. Supporters of the President welcomed it, while others questioned whether any governor could guarantee how residents would vote.

What happens next

The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Government offices in Osun State were shut on Monday, 9 November 2026, as workers began a three-day strike over withheld allocations to local governments.

What happened

The gates of the state government secretariat and the House of Assembly in Osogbo were locked, with no workers or business activity at either, according to reports. Local government secretariats in Olorunda and Osogbo were also closed, and pupils in public schools in Osogbo were sent home after teachers joined the strike.

Why workers are striking

In a statement on Sunday, the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by its chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, directed all affiliated unions to join the strike in solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). The NLC said the action followed the expiry of a seven-day ultimatum to the federal and Osun state governments over the continued withholding of statutory allocations to local councils in the state, which it said remained unresolved.

Background

Osun's local governments have been at the centre of a long legal and political dispute over who controls the councils, which has led to federal allocations being withheld. Osun is governed by Ademola Adeleke, who has backed President Bola Tinubu's re-election.

The naira has gained ground against the US dollar over the past year, according to official exchange rate data.

The figures

The naira traded at about ₦1,346.79 to the dollar on 6 November 2026, compared with ₦1,436.74 on the same date in 2025, a gain of about ₦90, or 6.26 per cent, according to reports on Monday, 9 November. Nigeria's external reserves have risen to about $55.13 billion.

Why it matters

A stronger naira could reduce the cost of imported raw materials, machinery, medicines and other goods priced in foreign currency. However, how quickly that feeds through to lower prices for consumers depends on businesses passing on the savings.

Background

The naira lost much of its value after the government unified the exchange rate in 2023, when the official rate was about ₦461 to the dollar. The Central Bank of Nigeria has since taken steps to stabilise the foreign exchange market and improve dollar supply. The naira's performance has become a campaign issue: President Bola Tinubu said last week that it would have become worthless without his reforms, while the campaign of APM candidate Seyi Makinde said the President could not claim credit for a recovery after policies that weakened it.