The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has condemned the use of the slogan 'rig and die' by some political actors ahead of the 2027 elections.

What INEC said

Speaking at a forum in Enugu for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West, reported on Monday, 9 November 2026, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Kudu Haruna said threats and inflammatory language could endanger presiding officers, temporary election staff, party agents and observers. He urged anyone who disputes an election result to use lawful channels, including complaints to INEC or security agencies and the courts. He also warned that election officials, including ad hoc staff, would face legal consequences if found to have compromised the process.

Background

The 'rig and die' slogan has been used by some opposition supporters to warn against electoral fraud, but critics say it can be read as a threat of violence. INEC recently said it had uncovered a plot to threaten and kidnap election workers, with suspects arrested and charged. Violence has already been reported at several campaign events, including a clash at an NDC rally in Asaba in which one person died.

What happens next

Haruna called for closer cooperation between INEC and the media to counter misinformation before the elections, which begin with the presidential poll on 16 January 2027.

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.

Presidency responds

The Presidency accused Obi of trying to politicise national sports teams. In a post on X on Monday, the President's special assistant on social media, Dada Olusegun, said the national teams, including the Under-17 girls, represent the whole country and not any party or individual's ambitions, and that protocol rules around national teams are designed to protect young athletes from political exploitation, commercial distractions and media pressure. The NFF itself had not publicly commented.

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.

Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has visited Angwan Rukuba in Jos North, Plateau State, to console families of victims of a deadly attack earlier this year.

The visit

During the visit on Sunday, 8 November 2026, Makinde met residents at the home of the community head and described the killings as a national tragedy rather than a local matter. He urged the grieving community not to give up on Nigeria and assured them they were not alone. He also visited the family of Promise Gideon Ayuba, one of the victims, whose mother received him and prayed for him.

The attack

Armed men on motorcycles attacked the Gari Ya Waye area of the community on the evening of 29 March 2026, Palm Sunday, killing 33 people. The victim's mother, Favour Ayuba, drew national attention after a video showed her placing a cutlass in her son's coffin as a demand for justice. She was also among relatives who met former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby when he visited Plateau in September.

Background

Plateau State has suffered repeated deadly attacks in recent years, with communities in Jos and surrounding areas affected. Makinde is campaigning across the country ahead of the 16 January 2027 presidential election, and his campaign this week also criticised President Bola Tinubu's claims about the naira.