By Anayo Okoli, Dennis Agbo, Chinedu Adonu & Juliet Umeh

Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, and former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi, has charged editors and the Nigerian media to guide politicians towards issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Read Also: Atiku: Produce conviction evidence or… – ADC challenges APC

Obi, who spoke while addressing editors at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu State, however, began by making it clear that he was not invited to the conference but had come because, as a politician, he believed that wherever people gathered to discuss issues concerning the country, politicians would naturally want to be there.

He was also quick to acknowledge that the editors’ conference was not a campaign platform, stressing that he had not come to campaign for the 2027 election but to pass on some messages about the state of the country and the responsibility of the media as Nigeria approaches another election.

Obi said he was mindful of the purpose of the gathering and would, therefore, restrict himself to issues he believed were important to Nigeria’s democracy, governance and development.

The theme of the conference is “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”

He said editors should challenge politicians whenever they resort to name-calling, personal attacks or other distractions rather than addressing issues affecting Nigerians.

“As we approach the election, I have only one thing I will plead that you include in your discussion. We made a choice to be a democratic country, and that choice is a choice that can help our country to grow,” Obi said.

“It is important that you help us, the politicians, to ensure that as we approach elections, our discussions, our campaigns, everything we do, is strictly based on issues that will bring good governance, unity, security and prosperity for the country, strictly.”

The NDC presidential candidate also urged the media to insist on free, fair and credible elections, particularly by speaking out whenever candidates are prevented from campaigning in any part of the country.

He recalled that as Anambra governor, he allowed political opponents to campaign freely in the state, citing instances involving former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.

According to him, Fashola once visited Anambra to campaign for Chris Ngige, then a candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and he provided his official convoy for Fashola while remaining in his office.

He said Obasanjo also campaigned for Andy Uba in Anambra in his presence, while Kalu campaigned for Uche Ekwunife. He hosted them to a launch. He stressed that political differences should not result in personal quarrels.

“It is the people that we are talking to. So we need that conducive environment to campaign as a country, to make it work,” he stated.

On his relationship with Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Obi dismissed reports of any conflict between them, describing Soludo as a respected elder brother.

“There is no issue between me and Soludo. Me and Soludo are close,” he explained, adding that he respects Soludo’s office as governor.

Obi also defended his record as governor of Anambra State, particularly concerning the state’s debt profile and savings, saying he left $150 million in savings when he left office.

He urged journalists to question politicians directly about their records and claims rather than relying on proxies.

“Question us based on our backgrounds. Question us based on what we say. Question us on our qualifications and everything,” he said.

The former governor said politicians should be prepared to personally respond to allegations against them, adding that where an allegation was true, the individual should acknowledge wrongdoing rather than deploy supporters to deny it.

He further charged the media to scrutinise Nigeria’s governance and development indicators, particularly in healthcare.

Obi lamented the decline of major teaching hospitals in the country, saying Nigerians should not be forced to rely on religious centres for treatment because of inadequate healthcare facilities.

He also criticised what he described as disparities in healthcare funding, urging journalists to investigate government budgets and question spending priorities.

“We must, you people must help us. It’s your country. Help us to stop the abuse, or it will take its revenge on your children,” Obi said.

Reacting to questions from the audience, Obi said Nigeria had enough resources to address its major developmental challenges, insisting that the country’s problem was how its resources were deployed.

He said, contrary to claims that the country lacked resources to fund critical sectors, billions of naira could be redirected to healthcare, education and other essential services if corruption and waste were reduced.

On healthcare, Obi said no teaching hospital was listed as a capital project in the Federal Government’s budget, alleging that none received up to N200 million for capital expenditure.

Obi also clarified his position on fuel subsidy, following a question on his alleged disagreement with former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over the issue.

According to him, Kwankwaso had not advocated the outright removal of subsidy but had proposed introducing a different subsidy regime.

“What Kwankwaso said is that we will introduce our own style of subsidy. In fact, he didn’t say he would return the subsidy,” Obi said.

He, however, maintained that corruption in the subsidy regime had made the system unsustainable.

“If you remove the corruption in subsidy, there might not be any subsidy,” he noted, alleging that the subsidy regime had become a major avenue for corruption.

Obi argued that savings from the removal of fuel subsidy could be channelled into healthcare infrastructure.

On health, he said Nigeria needed about 1,000 kidney centres but currently had fewer than 300, while the country also required about 5,000 dialysis machines but had fewer than 1,000.

Using his own estimates, he said establishing 1,000 kidney centres, equipped with five machines each, would cost about N250 billion.

He also said Nigeria’s cancer burden required urgent investment, claiming that the country had fewer than 10 functional cancer centres.

According to him, establishing 20 cancer centres at an estimated cost of N5 billion each would require about N100 billion.

Obi further advocated increased investment in primary healthcare, saying only about 10 per cent of primary healthcare facilities were functional.

He noted that Nigeria had 8,809 wards and argued that establishing 10,000 functional primary healthcare centres at an estimated N100 million each would cost about N1 trillion.

“Why wouldn’t we take it from our N15.8 trillion — N1 trillion to put healthcare in every ward in Nigeria? We have the money. It is a question of how we use our resources,” he said.

Obi also rejected the idea that he was positioning himself against other politicians, saying Nigeria’s leadership challenge affected all political actors.

“I am not excluding any politician. I am not excluding myself. We have a problem,” he said.

He added: “Nigeria has no problem with our weather, with anything. God blessed us with everything, but our leadership is wrong. And we must correct it.”

On food security, Obi cited Bangladesh as an example of a country that had transformed its rice production from dependence on imports to becoming a major producer.

He said Nigeria, despite having significantly more land, was still unable to produce enough rice to meet domestic consumption.

On the possibility of political cooperation ahead of the 2027 elections, Obi said his focus was on structural reforms rather than personalities or past disagreements.

He said Nigeria had about 94 million registered voters, while total votes cast in the last presidential election were about 25 million, representing roughly a quarter of registered voters.

According to him, low voter participation was partly linked to citizens’ perception that their votes would not count.

“That’s where you come in; that’s where you get to do something. Let’s get those who are not voting to vote.

“The day our votes count, that will change,” he told the editors.

Obi said having several candidates contesting elections was not necessarily a problem, provided the electoral process was free, fair and credible.

“What we are asking is, in 2027, let’s have free, fair, credible elections,” he said.

He also said electoral malpractice should attract criminal sanctions.

“I can state here today, I know I’m not going to have the opportunity, but if I have the opportunity, anybody who rigs the election will go to jail,” Obi said.

He stressed that his political activities were driven by his desire to see Nigeria function better. “I am not desperate to be President. I am desperate to see Nigeria work. Our commitment is to Nigeria, to work for a better Nigeria, where things work for everybody,” he said.

Tunde Rahman warns against fake news

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Tunde Rahman, said the media had a critical role to play in ensuring that Nigerians were adequately informed ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the emergence of artificial intelligence, fake news and deepfakes had made the work of journalists more difficult, warning that misinformation could outpace official information during elections.

According to him, “Everybody can sit on WhatsApp and announce fake election results. Only you can debunk it. Police lies with facts and propaganda with professionalism,” stressing that the media must protect its credibility ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Let us not allow cliques to kill credibility. The media should not be pro-APC, pro-Labour Party or pro-PDP. It should be pro-Nigeria, pro-truth and pro-people. If the balance is clean and the media is straight, democracy will not just survive in Nigeria, it will thrive,” he said.

The presidential spokesman said the Tinubu administration inherited an economy that was “on life support” but had embarked on bold reforms which, he said, were beginning to yield results.

Speaking earlier, a foremost legal scholar, Prof. Auwal Yadudu, spoke on issues that could engender voter apathy.

He listed them to include lack of or failure of good governance; violence, thuggery and intimidation during elections; as well as incompetence of the electoral management body.

Also, in his paper, former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspapers, Martins Oloja, cautioned against reporting terrorism without adequate verification of the real situation.

According to him, reporting terrorism without adequate verification and accuracy could turn such reports into tools for terrorism itself.

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By Dayo Johnson, Regional Editor, South West

The polity is already awash with threats of violence and intimidation against those who do not support the ruling All Progress Congress. Few days ago, Chairman of Esan West Local Govt Area of Edo state threatened a hotel hosting Nigeria Democratic Congress meeting that any building hosting any other party apart from APC would be bought down.

Read Also: From Obasanjo and Tinubu camps to Atiku’s war room, by Emmanuel Aziken

He also went to Ekpoma motor park where he ordered that any commercial driver wearing any other cap other than APC cap would be barred from entering the park. In Abuja, a council chairman told the residents who would not support the APC to relocate from the Federal Capital territory while in Borno, a commissioner threatened that any resident who dared to oppose the ruling party would be flogged. Across the states, thugs have disrupted political gatherings, attacked the people and destroyed property.

Concerned lawyers in the country have therefore raised the alarm over the threats and attacks ahead of the January general elections. They warned that such violence can plunge the nation into a state of chaos and this portends a great danger for our democracy.

Threatening citizens’ freedoms erode confidence in election result before ballot — Ahia

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Kenneth C. Ahia, said: “Demolishing a hotel for hosting an opposition meeting, forcing drivers into party caps, banishing residents from the FCT, threatening floggings, or vowing to remove elected council chairmen who fail to ‘deliver,’ all violate Sections 34, 40, 41 and 42 of the Constitution, which protect the dignity of the person, the rights of assembly, association and movement, and freedom from discrimination on account of political opinion.

“The Supreme Court has also settled that no governor can remove democratically elected local government councils. An election remains meaningful only when citizens can campaign, speak and vote without fear.

“When officials threaten those freedoms, they discourage participation and erode confidence in the result before a single ballot is cast. Every reported threat should be investigated fairly, and any official found to have abused public power should face appropriate consequences. Leaders of all parties should make clear that votes must be won by persuasion and performance, never by coercion.

“Those in power must also remember that power is transient. Years ago, the PDP held sway across the country and acted with impunity; today it is the APC. No party holds power forever, and there is always a time for reckoning.”

It’s a reflection of our democracy is degenerating — Akinlaja

Another SAN, Mr. Dayo Akinlaja, insisted that Nigeria should have grown beyond politics of bitterness and intolerance. He said: “It is clear beyond any measure of doubt that all these threats are highly unconstitutional, illegal, unfortunate and disturbing. They have no legitimate space in a proper democratic culture. It is a pointer to the fact that our democracy is not improving but degenerating. Over these years, we should have gone beyond this level of intolerance and incivility. Issues, not threats, should define electioneering campaigns.

“Sadly, issues are relegated to the background. Fear Mongering is elevated in their place. The situation is tragic, and that is even an understatement.”

Infringing on people’s rights to choose unconstitutional, actionable —Akpan

For an Abuja-based senior lawyer, Mr. Nkereuwem Akpan, threats emanating mostly from states controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) constitute an electoral offence. He said: “This ugly trend by supporters of the ruling APC is a cause for concern. I say so because a multi-party democracy such as ours thrives where there is a constitutional guarantee of freedom of choice and the right to self-determination.

“Even under military rule, we had options to choose from. Recall that Gen. Ibrahim Babangida gave us the choice between the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). That was the basis on which we had Chief Moshood Abiola going up against Alhaji Tofa. Again, during the General Sani Abacha years, we had a slew of political parties to choose from. I think the APC must learn from the history of our recent past, from the tragedy that befell the PDP. I remember a time, about 15 years ago, when the PDP was the biggest political party in the whole of Africa.

“In fact, members of the PDP became so boisterous, unruly and careless that one Ogbulafor came out on national TV boasting that the PDP would rule Nigeria for sixty years. In those days, you were either PDP or you were wasting your time. It took Nyesom Wike, working from within the ranks of the PDP, to destroy it. Democracy thrives on the choice that the electorate is able to make at the polls every four years.

“The APC was an outsider until 2015 and cannot be greater than the masses. It goes without saying that ours is a constitutional democracy founded on the principle of one man, one vote, where the right to cast a vote for a candidate of one’s choice is a fundamental right. Any attempt, before, during, or after the elections, to infringe on this right to choose is clearly unconstitutional and actionable in the law courts. Secondly, it will also constitute an electoral offence to attempt to stifle freedom of choice or to discriminate against a person on the basis of party membership or political affiliation.

“These are the very foundations of our democracy. In other jurisdictions, the police would have arrested, prosecuted and jailed anyone engaged in this conduct, but they won’t, because orders will come from Abuja to truncate the case”.

Doomsday beckons if political actors don’t comply with the laws — Chief Nwachukwu

For his part, another senior legal practitioner, Chief Chukwuma Nwachukwu, said: “All I can see in the above scenarios is the impunity and arrogance of our politicians, especially those of the ruling party. It is important to state that no one is above the law, and by virtue of Section 1(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), all authorities and persons are subject to the grundnorm and all laws of the land, without exception.

“Chapter Four of the Constitution preserves the fundamental rights of citizens, and such rights cannot be tampered with, except in accordance with the provisions of the law. No party member or government official has any right whatsoever to infringe on the guaranteed rights to freedom of association, freedom of movement, etc and, more especially, the right to life of a fellow citizen, under the guise of politics.

“The various criminal laws make provision for offences and the punishments therefore, and it is the duty of the relevant law enforcement agencies to carry out their statutory functions in preserving public order. Furthermore, the Independent National Electoral Commission should, as a matter of urgency, read the riot act to political office holders, regardless of their party leanings and affiliations, on the importance of desisting from inflammatory rhetoric as we approach the general elections, so as not to overheat the polity and destabilise the upcoming elections.

“As for the issue of imposing huge sums of money as fees for the erection of campaign billboards, I do not see the necessity of imposing a prohibitive sum different from what is generally applicable to other advertisements. This is a deeply tense period in our national life, and if political actors don’t

comply with the laws of the land, doomsday beckons”.

Political intimidation transforms elections into marketplace of fear — Evans Ufeli

Another lawyer, Evans Ufeli said, “Threats by public officials against citizens, workers, traders, civil servants, or businesses because they support opposition parties strike at the foundation of constitutional democracy. Under the 1999 Constitution, Nigerians enjoy rights to freedom of expression, peaceful association, political choice, and protection from discriminatory treatment.

“These rights are not gifts bestowed by office holders; they are guarantees that restrain the power of the state and its agents. From an electoral law perspective, intimidation is especially grave where it is intended to compel a person to vote, abstain from voting, abandon a political party, or support a preferred candidate. The Electoral Act 2026 criminalises undue influence and conduct involving threats, coercion, violence, or the threat of injury, loss, and harm designed to distort a voter’s free choice. A threat to terminate employment, withdraw government services, close a business, deny contracts, or unleash security agencies against perceived opposition supporters may therefore amount to more than reckless political speech.

“Where evidence establishes intent and action, it may trigger electoral offences, abuse of office allegations, civil claims for fundamental-rights enforcement, disciplinary sanctions, and in appropriate cases criminal liability. Political intimidation transforms elections from a contest of ideas into a marketplace of fear. A voter who fears losing a job, a licence, personal safety, or access to public services cannot be said to be exercising an entirely free franchise.

“Such a climate suppresses turnout, entrenches incumbency, weakens opposition mobilisation, and erodes public confidence in election outcomes. A public office is a trust, not a weapon. The survival of credible elections depends on ensuring that no Nigerian must choose between political conscience and personal survival.

Credibility of the electoral process at risk — Femi Aborisade

Mr Femi Aborisade argued that; “These developments are a very dangerous sign for our democracy. They amount to an unacceptable attempt to constrict the democratic space and intimidate citizens into political conformity. Democracy is founded on the freedom of citizens to make political choices without fear, coercion or intimidation.

“Nobody should be threatened or punished simply because he or she chooses to support a political party different from the party in government. What we are witnessing is particularly disturbing because some of these threats are reportedly coming from public officials who ought to be protecting the rights of citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations. A public office must never be used as an instrument of political coercion.

“Government officials have a constitutional duty to protect citizens, not to dictate their political choices or threaten them with reprisals for exercising their democratic rights. Political competition should be about ideas, policies, programmes and the records of those seeking public office. Where intimidation replaces persuasion, democracy is inevitably weakened.

“If this pattern continues unchecked, it could create an atmosphere of fear in which citizens become reluctant to participate openly in political activities or express their genuine preferences. That would have serious consequences for the credibility of the electoral process.”

Threats against opposition anti-democratic — Dr Omare

Dr Eric Omare, former President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide contended that: “The verbal threats by members of the ruling APC against opposition party members pose a threat to peace and security going into the 2027 general elections. There is no legal basis for those threats.

“In a multi-party democracy, people have the right to support the political party and candidates of their choice; hence, the threats are anti-democratic. I would advise the security agencies to take proactive steps to nip such threats in the bud and address their potential effect on the peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.”

APC’s strong-arm posture, recipe for anarchy ahead 2027 elections — Clarkson

On his part, Amaebi Clarkson, argued that: “It is disheartening when public officials and supposedly elected representatives speak in such an unbridled manner. It reveals how far we have descended into lawlessness. Their unguarded utterances give the impression that the country is governed by the rule of men rather than the Constitution.

“Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, is clear on the unfettered rights of the people. Section 40 specifically echoes the freedom of association and the right to peaceful assembly. This is an inalienable right that cannot be circumvented by anybody, including the President.

“Our democracy is anchored on a multi-party system which gives the people a wide spectrum to choose their political party and who to vote for. The ruling APC, which came to power in 2015, benefited from these democratic tenets when the people voted out the then ruling PDP government. The APC’s strong-arm posture is a recipe for anarchy in the forthcoming elections. But this government should be reminded that Nigeria is not a banana republic but a country steeped in the rule of law.”

It portends a great danger for our democracy — Oviawe

A Port Harcourt based lawyer, Amarachi Owhoeli also said: “This portends a great danger for our democracy. Sadly, this is a recurrent phenomenon during electioneering periods. We have seen similar threats like this in Lagos State and other states in Nigeria during the 2023 general elections. It is sad that these politicians and their thugs will still go ahead to carry out their threats and the security agencies will not do anything about it.

“Every Nigerian citizen is free to campaign and vote for a candidate of their choice; if anybody threatens or coerces them from freely doing so, then that person ought to be arrested and prosecuted accordingly, no matter his position or qualifications.

“Threats of violence like this and actual violence can plunge the country into a state of chaos, because nobody has a monopoly on violence. I will advise the security agencies to swiftly move in and invite the culprits responsible for these threats, make them sign an undertaking not to carry out those threats, so that if these threats later materialize, they will be held responsible for their unguarded utterances.”

INEC must create a level playing field — Akiki

George Akiki, Ex Chairman of the NBA Young Lawyers Forum, Calabar Branch, stated that “one of the features of democracy is a free, fair and violence-free election, devoid of duress, vote buying, threats, and ballot snatching. Nigeria has been a democracy for over 27 years and should by now have moved past situations where voters are threatened by political thugs.

“During the 2023 elections a woman was harassed, molested, and beaten by thugs at her polling unit, as reported in the media. The country’s constitution guarantees freedom of choice of political affiliation and membership under Sections 39 and 40, while Section 77 guarantees the freedom to vote and choose representatives. Furthermore, such actions amount to electoral offences punishable by law.

“Therefore, INEC, as the election umpire, has a duty to put up modalities that will encourage a level playing ground for all political parties to participate in elections, while security agencies have a role to ensure that voters and election participants do not suffer any elements of coercion, threat, or duress.”

On his part, John Ola Mafo said: “The combined reading of all the threats, barking, howling and vituperations from Edo to Ebonyi, Abuja to Bornu, gives a picture of APC as a political family at the breaking point, weighed down by desperation, frustration and the fear of the unknown.

“Nigeria is not a Banana Republic and certain inalienable rights are granted by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which includes Section 34 on Dignity of Human Person, 35 on Right to Personal Liberty, 38 on Freedom of Thoughts, Conscience and Religion, 39 on Right to Freedom of Expression and the Press, 40 on Right to Peaceful Assembly and Association, and 41 on Freedom of Movement”.

Mr Tajudeen Olutop, former Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Owo Branch

“No citizen should be intimidated, assaulted, denied access to public facilities or forced to relocate merely because of his or her political preference. Nevertheless, such inflammatory statements are not entirely new in Nigerian politics. At different times, politicians belonging to various parties have employed similar language when their parties controlled the machinery of government.

“They are often part of political manoeuvring, propaganda and attempts to create an exaggerated impression of dominance rather than policies capable of lawful implementation. However, these statements should not be treated lightly. Even when the speakers have no genuine intention or legal capacity to carry them out, such rhetoric can embolden overzealous supporters, heighten political tension and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“Public office holders must therefore exercise restraint and remember that government institutions and public spaces belong to all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation. Ultimately, elections are determined by the freely expressed will of the electorate not by threats, intimidation or coercion”.

Similarly, Chief Ola Amure said: “The reported threats from some government officials reveal a dangerous attempt to turn political competition into an exercise of power, intimidation and coercion. A government has a responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens, not to threaten them for belonging to, supporting, or voting for another political party.

“The right to vote, freedom of association, freedom of expression and the right to participate in political activities are not privileges granted by the ruling party. They are fundamental democratic rights. What happens when a commercial driver is denied access to his livelihood because of the political cap he wears? What happens when a hotel owner is threatened because he provides a venue for a lawful political meeting? What happens when an elected council chairman is pressured to deliver votes for a particular party under threat of removal? These are not merely political disagreements. They raise questions about the use of public authority, the protection of livelihoods, electoral fairness and the rule of law. The 2027 elections must not become a contest of intimidation, coercion and the abuse of state power. They must be an opportunity for Nigerians to freely choose their leaders based on policies, performance, character and their vision for the future.

“The opposition must not be denied the right to campaign. Citizens must not be forced to support a political party. Public resources and government institutions must not be used as instruments of political punishment. A democracy is measured not only by the ability of the ruling party to win elections, but also by its willingness to respect the rights of those who disagree with it.

Moruff Balogun, Former Vice Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ijebu Ode Branch

“The more important question is what happens to an election when those who control public institutions begin to communicate to citizens that their political choices may have consequences.

Politicians have always used strong language during election campaigns. The more serious concern is that some of these statements are coming from people who occupy public offices and therefore have access to governmental authority and resources. One may dismiss some of these statements as political rhetoric. But when similar statements begin to emerge from different jurisdictions, the issue becomes more fundamental. It creates the possibility of a political environment in which citizens do not merely ask, “Who do I want to vote for?” but also, “What will happen to me if I vote differently?

“That is where the concern for democratic freedom arises. A democracy is not defined merely by holding an election on a particular day. It requires citizens to be able to make political choices freely. If a trader fears that his business may be affected because he supports the opposition, if a transport worker believes that displaying the wrong political symbol could cost him access to his livelihood, if a public servant thinks that his position depends on delivering votes for a particular party, or if an ordinary resident feels that supporting the opposition could make him unwelcome in his own community, then the ballot may remain secret while the political environment itself becomes coercive.

“The 2027 election should not only answer the question of who will govern Nigeria. It should also test whether our political institutions are mature enough to permit citizens to disagree with those in power without being treated as enemies of the State.

In his own submission, Mr Bukola Onifade said: “The problem with our democracy is the lack of respect for the rule of law. Public office holders and politicians generally are not giving enough regard to the constitution which is very dangerous for the development of our democracy and allowing such to continue without check can truncate democracy in the country.

“It is unlawful for anyone to resort to threat as a means of campaigning or canvassing votes or to even threaten others from canvassing for votes in any part of the country. The moment we allow the threat to become part of our democracy, we are heading for anarchy and we must use legal means to stop the country from falling into that ditch.

We need to preach political tolerance – Bewaji

Dr Wunmi Bewaji, a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, described the threat as excessive enthusiasm, stressing the need for tolerance in the country. He said, “I rather see this as an isolated manifestation of excessive enthusiasm and that is not to be confused for illegality.

“Every now and then you find over-zealous officials making statements, which when you look at it, is not really more than an over-zealous pursuit of a legitimate political objective, which is not a crime. I think the focus should be on how to promote political tolerance by all sides, because we will be missing the point if the focus is only on the ruling party, because every government official within their terrain would want to implement one policy or the other that will not be favourable to the other party. So, even within the same party, you can have evidence of intolerance.

“For instance, you find a situation where after people have pasted their posters all over the place, exuberant party supporters would go about to pull down billboards to tear posters belonging to the opposition. So, I think we need to preach political tolerance.”

Mr Chika Eze, said “The Electoral Act 2026 is quite explicit. Section 97 prohibits a political party, candidate, aspirant or any person or group from directly or indirectly threatening another person with force or violence during a political campaign in order to compel support or prevent support for a candidate. Section 130 also addresses conduct around polling units, including possession of offensive weapons or conduct calculated to intimidate voters.

“More importantly, Section 132 criminalises the use or threat of force, violence or restraint, as well as threats of injury, damage or harm intended to influence how a person votes or whether that person votes at all. It also covers conduct that prevents a political aspirant from freely campaigning or mobilising support. Therefore, incidents involving alleged threats or intimidation should not simply be viewed as political rhetoric. Where the facts establish the elements of an offence under the Act, the appropriate authorities have a legal basis to investigate and prosecute.

“The real issue is enforcement. The law must be applied consistently, evidence must be properly preserved, and investigators must establish who made the threat, what was threatened, the electoral context and whether the conduct was intended to influence voting or political participation. Where there is evidence of sponsorship or direction by others, investigators should also examine that chain of responsibility rather than stopping with the person who physically carried out the act.”

Election law expert, Mr Emeka Nwosu said, “The problem is not necessarily the absence of laws; it is the failure to consistently move cases from allegation to investigation, investigation to prosecution and prosecution to conviction. In many instances, evidence is not properly preserved, investigations are delayed and cases lose momentum before they reach a decisive stage.

“A functioning enforcement chain requires specialised investigators who understand electoral offences, proper documentation and preservation of evidence, timely legal advice, dedicated prosecutors and courts or tribunals capable of handling electoral cases expeditiously. There must also be clear institutional responsibility for tracking each case from the point of complaint to its final determination. Most importantly, prosecution must not be selective. Whether the offender is a political heavyweight, a party operative or an ordinary voter, the law should apply equally. Without credible enforcement and consequences, electoral offences will continue to be viewed by some actors as risks worth taking.”

According to Mr Chinedu Okafor, “The 2027 election must not become another contest where violence, intimidation and misinformation determine the outcome. Security agencies must be professional, neutral and firm in dealing with anyone who attempts to disrupt the process, irrespective of political affiliation. Political parties and their candidates must also understand that elections are not a do-or-die affair. They must campaign on issues, respect the rules and accept the outcome where due process has been followed.

“Citizens, too, have a critical role to play by refusing to participate in violence, vote buying, hate speech or the spread of unverified information. A credible and peaceful election is a collective responsibility. If the security agencies do their job, political actors play by the rules and citizens protect the integrity of their votes, Nigeria can have an election that strengthens rather than weakens public confidence in democracy.”

Dapo Akinrefon; Samuel Oyadongha; Rotimi Ojomoyela; Ikechukwu Nnochiri; Shina Abubakar; Ozioruva Aliu; Ike Uchechukwu; Davies Iheamnachor; James Ogunnnaike; Adeola Badru; Juliet Umeh & Gift Chapi-Odekina also contributed to this report.

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By Juliet Umeh

For 27 uninterrupted years, Nigerians have lived under elected governments. They have queued under scorching sun and rain to vote, watched presidents and governors come and go, and seen disputed elections move from polling units to courtrooms.

Read Also: All Nigeria Editors Confab, 2026: Before ballot box, Africans already knew democracy — Achebe

Yet, for the ordinary Nigerian, John Cardinal Onaiyekan believes a fundamental question remains: Has democracy really put the people at the centre of governance?

At 82, the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja has witnessed Nigeria’s journey through colonial rule, independence, military governments and civilian administrations. His conclusion is sobering: having democracy is one thing; making it work for ordinary people is another.

“I speak as an 82-year-old Nigerian who has seen this nation going up and down with hopes of greatness that have continued to elude us,” Onaiyekan told editors at the All Nigeria Editors Conference, ANEC 2026, in Enugu.

For him, the true test of democracy is not merely how many elections have been conducted or how long civilians have remained in power. It is whether the government serves the people.

When citizens become pawns

Nigeria has achieved something that once seemed difficult: more than a quarter-century of uninterrupted civilian government.

But elections alone, Onaiyekan argued, do not make democracy meaningful.

He said: “Democracy must be governance for the good of the people. The leaders must be serving the interests of the governed, and people must be at the centre of governance – what we call the common good.”

It is, he said, “the kind of democracy that Nigerians have been dreaming about.”

Yet, that ideal is tested whenever elections become primarily struggles among politicians for control of power

Onaiyekan accused some politicians of adopting a “do-or-die” attitude because political office brings wealth and influence.

“In all this, the people hardly count at all,” he said. “Rather, they are just pawns on the political game.”

That is perhaps one of the contradictions of Nigeria’s democracy: the citizen who is supposed to be its most powerful participant can become its least influential actor.

Who owns the vote?

Since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999, successive elections were expected to strengthen democratic institutions.

“We have had several elections since 1999. It is difficult to believe that we have been making progress. In fact, it seems that the quality of the elections has been reducing from one election to the other, and this is not good news at all,”  he said.

His concerns range from the conduct of politicians to the independence of INEC, deployment of security agencies and role of the judiciary.

But he reserved one of his sharpest questions for politicians who boast that they will “deliver” entire states to preferred candidates.

“Where is the freedom of the people of the state to vote according to their individual consciences?” he asked.

“Or does the governor intend to vote for everybody in his state?”

Behind that question lies another: Who owns the vote – the citizen who casts it or the political structure claiming to control it?

Ballot box or courtroom?

Onaiyekan also questioned the growing prominence of courts in electoral outcomes.

“The judiciary is not to determine elections about who wins, but rather to adjudicate disputes when they arise.

“If elections were well conducted, there ought not to be any need for judicial cases.”

But Nigeria, he observed, has increasingly witnessed electoral battles moving from polling units to tribunals.

“Our experience in the recent past has almost become that we have been witnessing a situation where our elections are being determined not at the polls, but in the courts by the tribunals.”

For voters who queued to exercise their franchise, such prolonged disputes can raise questions about where electoral power ultimately resides.

‘Power belongs to the people’

For Onaiyekan, Nigeria’s democratic journey must eventually return to its simplest promise: government exists for citizens.

He said: “In political terms, we say that power belongs to the people. By that, we mean that it does not belong to the political leaders and office holders.”

He also rejected arguments that Nigerians should simply wait for democracy to mature over generations.

“We must never give up our efforts to keep pushing for a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

“We cannot accept the specious argument that democracy has taken centuries to build in some nations, and that so we should wait for hundreds of years to achieve our own.

“We have the experience of history, and we cannot be re-inventing the wheel.”

After 27 years, therefore, Nigeria’s democratic challenge is no longer merely keeping soldiers out of government or conducting another election.

It is ensuring that the ordinary Nigerian who stands in a polling queue truly has a stake in determining how the country is governed.

“The ultimate objective,” Onaiyekan said, “is to install a government that is freely chosen by the people and that works for the common good of the people.”

Until that promise reaches the ordinary citizen, Nigeria’s democracy, in Onaiyekan’s reckoning, remains unfinished.

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By Juliet Umeh

Long before ballot papers, polling booths and electoral commissions became features of Nigeria’s political life, communities gathered to deliberate, question those who exercised authority and arrive at decisions affecting their collective existence.

Read Also: 2027: You must play according to rules, Jonathan warns politicians

There were no voter cards or electronic accreditation machines. Yet, according to the Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, beneath those traditional systems lay an important democratic principle: power required the consent and participation of the people.

For Achebe, therefore, democracy should not simply be regarded as a foreign political idea handed down to Africans. Its fundamental values, he argued, have deep roots in indigenous African society.

Speaking as chairman of the All Nigeria Editors Conference, ANEC, in Enugu, Achebe reached into Igbo traditional governance to make his point.

“In our Igbo tradition, the Obi does not rule by decree. He rules in council, in dialogue, in the constant testing of truth against the wisdom of elders and the voice of the people.

“Igbo democratic instinct is ancient. Even kingship here has always been checked by the community, by consultation, by honest speech,” he said.

It was a striking intervention at a conference devoted to the ballot, media and survival of democracy.

Democracy beyond election day

Modern democracy is commonly associated with periodic elections, political parties, legislatures and constitutions. But Achebe’s argument goes deeper: these institutions may be modern, but the underlying idea that leaders should listen to the people is not necessarily new to African societies.

He declared: “The ballot box, in this sense, is not an import grafted onto our soil. It is a modern vessel for an old African value, which states that legitimate power flows from the consent, the voice, and the informed judgment of the people.”

That distinction is significant.

It suggests that the real test of democracy is not merely whether citizens queue every four years to cast ballots, but whether their voices continue to matter after the votes have been counted.

Achebe, who reflected on Nigeria’s journey from independence through military rule to democratic government, described the country’s democracy as a continuing project rather than a finished achievement.

“I have watched Nigeria’s journey from the optimism of independence, through the turbulence of military rule, into the fragile and still-unfinished project of democratic self-governance,” he said.

His message was that democracy requires constant protection.

“Democracy is not a monument we erect and then walk away from,” Achebe warned.

“It is more like a fire lit to keep the house warm. It must be tended, fed, protected from wind and rain, or it dies quietly in the night while everyone believes it still burns.”

Consent must be informed

But Achebe also identified a complication in the principle of popular consent.

For the people’s choices to confer meaningful legitimacy, he argued, those choices must be informed.

“Consent is only meaningful if it is informed,” he said.

That is where he placed journalism at the heart of the democratic process.

“The ballot is the citizen’s voice. The media is the mirror by which that citizen sees the world clearly enough to know what to say with that voice.

“When the mirror is cracked, or worse, deliberately distorted, the citizen no longer votes from truth but votes from illusion.And a democracy built on illusion is not genuine democracy but drama. It becomes a theatre,” he said.

For editors gathered in Enugu, the traditional ruler’s argument effectively connected two institutions separated by centuries: the village council where voices were heard and the modern newsroom through which citizens receive information.

In both, he suggested, honest speech matters.

When the people stop mattering

Achebe’s reflection also raises a larger question for Nigeria: if consultation, consent and accountability are deeply rooted values, why should democratic participation begin and end at the polling booth?

His description of traditional leadership offers an interesting contrast to any system in which obtaining political office is treated as sufficient authority to govern without listening.

Even an Obi, he stressed, is subject to restraints.

“Even kingship here has always been checked by the community, by consultation, by honest speech.”

It is perhaps one of the most important messages from his address.

Democracy may have acquired modern institutions and technologies, but its survival still rests on an old and remarkably simple principle: those who govern must remain connected to those they govern.

And citizens, in turn, must have truthful information with which to judge them.

That explains why Achebe charged journalists not merely to report democracy, but to help preserve it.

“In the face of challenges, politicking, electioneering and partisanship, you must stand upright for democracy and the nation.

“Even if politicians, electoral body, institutions, and other things fail, you must be the ultimate last man standing in the task of defending democracy,” he told the editors.

From the traditional council to the modern ballot box, Achebe’s argument is ultimately about the same thing: power derives its legitimacy not simply from those who wield it, but from the people whose consent gives it meaning.

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Atiku Abubakar’s choice of leaders for his 2027 presidential campaign tells a larger story than the announcement of a campaign council. Its chairman, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, was once firmly identified with Olusegun Obasanjo. Its deputy chairman, Nasir El-Rufai, served on a panel that examined allegations against Atiku during his bitter struggle with Obasanjo. Both later moved through the political camp that brought Bola Tinubu to power. Now they are to help Atiku defeat him.

Read Also: 2027: You must play according to rules, Jonathan warns politicians

The appointment of Ibrahim-Imam is an illustration of how far Nigeria’s political relationships can travel. At the start of the Fourth Republic, Obasanjo made him presidential liaison officer to the Senate. It was a delicate assignment: relations between the presidency and the legislature were already fraught. Ibrahim-Imam was accused of involvement in moves against Senate President Chuba Okadigbo and declared unwelcome at the National Assembly. The accusation did not establish his guilt, but it reinforced his reputation as an unwavering Obasanjo man.

That association carries particular irony for Atiku. His partnership with Obasanjo ended in one of the Fourth Republic’s most enduring political feuds. Only this year, the former president again described choosing Atiku as his vice-president as a mistake. One of the politicians who built his early career close to Obasanjo is now entrusted with directing Atiku’s bid for the office they once occupied together.

Ibrahim-Imam’s own ambition was to govern Borno State. He won the Peoples Democratic Party ticket in 2003, but Ali Modu Sheriff—“SAS” to his political followers—defeated him on the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party platform. Ibrahim-Imam tried again in 2007. Sheriff beat him again and completed two terms as governor. For an Obasanjo loyalist flying the president’s party flag, the double defeat was a bruising lesson in the limits of presidential proximity.

There have long been suggestions that Sheriff enjoyed a separate relationship with Obasanjo through his father, who was said to have carried out contracts during Obasanjo’s military administration. Such accounts help explain the intrigue that surrounded the Borno contests. They do not prove that Obasanjo secretly worked against Ibrahim-Imam. The electoral record is clear enough: twice the president’s party candidate confronted Sheriff; twice he lost.

Thereafter, Kashim remained in the political background from 2007 for more than a decade. It is alleged that in that period he quietly formed an alliance with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and that it was on that basis he received one of the few appointments President Muhammadu Buhari gifted to Tinubu. It was no small job. The chairmanship of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, was one of the juiciest positions on offer during the Buhari years.

Kashim was among those considered for running mate to Tinubu in the run-up to the 2023 election, but he lost out to his fellow Borno man and namesake, Senator Kashim Shettima. There were insinuations that he was not happy with it. Tinubu tried to mollify him by nominating his 25-year-old son as chairman of FERMA, but that nomination drew a national outcry and was withdrawn. For whatever reason, Kashim then withdrew from the Tinubu space and subsequently emerged in the ranks of the opposition, and then in Atiku’s ADC. El-Rufai’s history with Atiku is more personal. In the early Obasanjo years, he headed the Bureau of Public Enterprises under a privatisation programme supervised by Atiku as vice-president. They had worked together before becoming adversaries.

The break became consequential during the Petroleum Technology Development Fund affair. In 2006, Obasanjo established an administrative panel to review allegations involving Atiku.

When the Obasanjo government exited and he fell out with the successor, he quickly pitched camp with Muhammadu Buhari and reinvented himself as a son of the former military head of state.

He won the governorship of Kaduna State on the coattails of the Buhari phenomenon in 2015 and served out two terms of what many still call one of the most divisive administrations in the history of the state. At the peak of Buhari’s power, and with Tinubu in seeming decline, El-Rufai took up tirades against Tinubu and at one point came to Lagos to lecture political actors on how to overthrow political godfathers.

Shockingly, by 2022, El-Rufai was among the northern APC governors backing a southern successor to Buhari. He then supported Tinubu’s candidacy against Atiku in 2023.

A place in Tinubu’s government appeared to follow. Tinubu nominated El-Rufai as a minister, and El-Rufai spoke of plans for the power sector. The Senate withheld his confirmation, citing security clearance. El-Rufai later said Tinubu had changed his mind about appointing him. The contents of the cited security concerns were not publicly settled, and the competing accounts offer no firm basis for claiming who engineered his exclusion. The partnership ended; El-Rufai moved into opposition politics.

There is a further complication for Atiku’s campaign. El-Rufai remains in custody while facing trial over alleged money laundering and conversion of public property. Those allegations are unproven. His circumstances nevertheless raise a practical question about how a deputy chairman can help coordinate a national campaign while unable to move freely.

Atiku’s team calls its structure lean: Senator Austin Akobundu will manage campaign operations through six directorates and 30 directors. Its two political leaders bring formidable experience, along with the baggage of the governments and rivalries that shaped them. The appointments show Atiku’s willingness to reconcile with old opponents. The test will be whether Ibrahim-Imam and El-Rufai can offer voters a convincing reason for their new alliance—and a governing purpose that reaches beyond removing Tinubu.

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By Luminous Jannamike

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, Presidential Campaign Council has challenged the All Progressives Congress, APC, to produce any court judgment convicting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the allegations being levelled against him by the party, accusing its spokesman, Felix Morka, of turning allegations into verdicts.

Read Also: 2027: You must play according to rules, Jonathan warns politicians

The Council said Nigerians were less interested in political insults than in answers to the pressures they face daily, from the cost of food and fuel to transport and electricity.

In a statement by its Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, the Council said Morka could raise questions about Atiku’s record but could not present allegations as established convictions.

“Morka has become an untutored spin doctor for a party caught in the conundrum of a sinking regime,” Shaibu said.

He challenged the APC spokesman to identify the court and produce the judgment if he claimed Atiku had been convicted of corruption.

“Morka may raise each matter. He may not strip away the report’s distinctions and present the resulting fiction as a judgment against Atiku,” Shaibu said.

The Council then turned the APC’s attack on Atiku’s suitability to manage public funds against President Bola Tinubu, citing the United States forfeiture proceedings involving $460,000 from an account in Tinubu’s name.

Shaibu said the proceedings and associated financial records raised questions about transactions involving Tinubu and individuals named in the case.

“A bank introduction. A transfer. A cheque. A company. Tinubu should explain those transactions and why the same names kept appearing around his finances,” he said.

The Council also cited the US litigation over access to FBI and other investigative records concerning Tinubu, arguing that Nigerians should be allowed to see the relevant documents, subject to lawful protections.

“Morka’s colleagues will rush to tell Nigerians that a search result is not a conviction. Nobody has said it is,” Shaibu said.

He said the distinction did not erase the questions surrounding the records.

“Yes, the case before the court concerns access to records. The records concern an investigation. Both facts can be true at once,” Shaibu said.

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By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

As campaigns for the 2027 general elections heat up, former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned politicians to play according to the rules, saying it would be wrong for candidates to maneuver the system just to win an election.

Read Also: 2027: I’ll lead Tinubu’s campaign team in FCT, Rivers — Wike

Jonathan’s admonition appears to counter President Bola Tinubu’s earlier remark that “all is fair in politics.”

Delivering a goodwill message at a public lecture held to mark the 80th birthday of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Kanu Agabi, SAN, ex-President Jonathan, who voluntarily conceded defeat to the opposition party in 2015, maintained that politicians cannot justify every action taken to win an election by simply describing it as politics.

According to him, electoral contests must be governed by established rules, and politicians should not treat the quest for victory as justification for misconduct.

He said: “In politics, it is a disaster. People do stupid things, also even criminal things, and they will tell you it is politics. It is not politics. Politics has rules.

“Politics is like a soccer match. You play according to the rules, and that is why the courts step in to mediate if you go against the rules. Otherwise, you can do anything and win an election and walk away.”

The erstwhile president also stressed that the anti-corruption fight in the country requires more than laws and enforcement agencies, emphasising that enduring change would depend on building a society where ethical conduct is valued above wrongdoing.

“The challenge before Nigeria is not simply to make laws against corruption. It is to build a culture in which ethical conduct becomes the norm, where public office is treated as a trust, and where institutions are strong enough to uphold accountability.

“We cannot continue to claim that private corruption will just keep going around in circles. It cannot go anywhere until we develop that culture, and nobody does wrong willingly,” he added.

Recalling an experience in Rwanda, Jonathan said the country’s social values discourage public officials from accepting gifts that could be considered inappropriate. He said the experience demonstrated how deeply rooted social norms can influence public conduct beyond what formal laws prescribe.

“I gave this to my aides to give to the people who take care of me. If you give me a hotel room where nobody can see anybody, where it is free, they say it is not the culture of Rwanda to accept the little gift — just a gift,” he said.

Meanwhile, he stressed that key institutions in the country, especially the judiciary, have an important role to play in ensuring accountability when rules are violated.

“All of us Nigerians have a major role to play if we want to suppress corruption, not just the bodies established by law to discipline and punish those who do it,” he stated, even as he urged politicians to exhibit higher moral standards.

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By Omeiza Ajayi

An online poll organised by the Tinubu Must Go TMG movement, asking Nigerians who among the leading presidential candidates they would vote for in the 2027 presidential election, has returned former Vice President and African Democratic Congress ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as the most preferred choice.

Read Also: 2027: I’ll lead Tinubu’s campaign team in FCT, Rivers — Wike

The poll, which ran for 24 hours from September 24 to 25, attracted a total of 109,799 respondents. Of that figure, 80,809 votes, representing 73.6 per cent, went to the Atiku/Amaechi ticket, while 24,519 votes, representing 22.3 per cent, went to the Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. The remaining 4,471 respondents, representing 4.1 per cent, voted for other candidates in the poll.

According to a statement by the pollsters, the margin held steady from early in the exercise. “Approximately seven minutes after voting commenced, the figures stood at about 76.6 percent in support of the Atiku/Amaechi ticket and 20.9 percent for Obi/Kwankwaso,” the statement read. 

It added that “as participation expanded dramatically, the percentages settled and remained remarkably consistent.”

The TMG movement, which is promoted by Abba Hikima, has grown in reputation for its opposition to the Tinubu administration over hardship occasioned by its economic policies.

The group noted that a comprehensive report documenting the methodology, participation growth, timestamp analysis, reach, limitations and organisational significance of the exercise would be published in due course.

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By Omeiza Ajayi

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to inaugurate and personally lead the campaign machinery for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in Abuja and Rivers State.

Read Also: 2027: ‘Atiku’s victory will end rotational presidency’ — Shehu Sani

Wike disclosed this on Friday in Chikuku, a community along the Kuje-Gwagwalada artery, Abuja, after inspecting the ongoing construction of Phase Two of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road dualisation project, noting that political parties across the spectrum were organising their ranks, while supporters of the President were fully prepared to kick off an aggressive campaign.

“The ruling All Progressives Congress APC, I believe, is putting itself together for an aggressive campaign. For us who are supporting Mr President from different political platforms, we have put our machinery ready to fully kickstart. Very soon, I will inaugurate the campaign team for Tinubu in the FCT and Rivers State, which I will lead. All elements of the APC are ready, Mr President is ready, we are ready, and you can see the enthusiasm,” he said.

Addressing critics and political opponents, Wike argued that visible development projects would drive electoral support in the FCT, dismissing allegations of electoral malpractice ahead of time.

He said; “People are happy, and I don’t know who will contest against Mr President as far as this election is concerned. This is governance, and this is what people expect. It will translate directly into actual votes”.

The minister expressed confidence that the administration’s infrastructure record would secure victory across the board in the FCT, including for Sen. Philip Aduda and the territory’s two House of Representatives seats. “It is very obvious. Nobody will be able to claim rigging in the FCT. The ‘rigging’ is the projects we are delivering, making the people happy,” he added.

On the Kuje-Gwagwalada project itself, Wike assured stakeholders that adequate funding would be disbursed to guarantee completion by December.

“This is my first time getting to this side of the road, and I can see how highly populated this area is,” he said, stressing that delivering functional infrastructure remains the cornerstone of good governance and public satisfaction.

“You can imagine the enthusiasm and happiness on the faces of the people. That is why we say the essence of governance is to make people happy. When the people are happy, those in authority are happy,” he said, expressing gratitude to Tinubu for his sustained support for capital projects in the territory.

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Gboko, 24 September 2026

Mr. President,

I am writing to you from Gboko, where government is not experienced through communiqués or presidential briefings. People meet government when they go to the market, when they travel to the farm, when they pay school fees, when transport fares rise and when they have to decide which household expense can wait until next month.

But that is not the whole story of what it means to live here.

I am also writing from a place where fear is not an abstract word. In Benue, news of another attack is no longer something people encounter only in newspaper reports. Communities have been attacked, families have lost relatives and farmers have been forced to think carefully about whether it is safe to return to their fields. On September 10 and 11, an attack on Ayilamo in Logo Local Government Area left four police officers and seven civilians dead. Four days later, two more police officers were killed in an ambush while returning to the same community.

So when I write to you from Gboko, I cannot write only about the price of food, the cost of transport or the hardship created by economic reforms. There is another question that sits underneath all of them: whether people are safe enough to live, work and farm in their own communities.

That is the country I am thinking about as I look at your latest stay in Paris.

There is nothing wrong with a Nigerian president travelling to France. Nigeria needs France, just as France needs Nigeria. We need diplomatic relationships, investment, technology, trade and cooperation with countries whose decisions can affect our interests. A president should be able to sit across the table from another head of state and negotiate for Nigeria.

But there is a question that ought to follow every presidential journey: what comes home with the President?

On September 18, French President Emmanuel Macron received you for a private dinner at the Élysée Palace. The Presidency described the meeting as reflecting the enduring relationship between Nigeria and France and a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. You also met Vincent Bolloré in Paris, where his group announced plans to deepen its investment and localisation in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy, including film, entertainment and fibre-optic infrastructure.

Those are legitimate areas of engagement. But Nigerians should be allowed to ask what these meetings mean beyond the photographs and official descriptions. What commitments were made? What does Nigeria stand to gain? What obligations, if any, has Nigeria assumed? What should Nigerians expect to see from these conversations, and when?

What do you bring back for us after these meetings?

Those questions are not hostility to France. They are the ordinary questions citizens should ask of their government.

They are even more reasonable because Paris has become one of the most frequent destinations of your presidency. The PUNCH reported this month that you had spent more than 270 days abroad since assuming office, on 51 trips covering at least 30 countries, with more than 50 days spent in Paris across official, working and private visits.

The number alone does not prove that every journey was unnecessary. Your administration has maintained that you continue to receive briefings, issue directives and oversee government while abroad. The Presidency has described the current European stay as a working vacation and has pointed to official engagements conducted during it.

But governing is not only the ability to issue instructions from another country.

There is a difference between being informed about Nigeria and being physically present in the country whose problems you are being briefed about.

That difference matters.

From Gboko, the question is not whether the President is permitted to travel. Of course he is. The question is whether the frequency and length of those absences are proportionate to the condition of the country he leads and the sacrifices Nigerians are being asked to make.

And this is where the picture from Paris becomes difficult to separate from the picture at home.

At the Élysée Palace, there was a table laid for a presidential dinner, polished glasses, fine surroundings and two heads of state seated together in one of France’s most important rooms. In Nigeria, displaced families are still struggling with food, shelter and the basic necessities of life after losing their homes.

The contrast does not mean that the President should not sit down to dinner with the French President. It means that a country should be able to look at both pictures at the same time. One shows Nigeria represented at the highest level of international diplomacy. The other shows Nigerians who need their own government to remember what life looks like when a person has lost the security of home.

A presidential dinner can last a few hours. Hunger does not keep diplomatic time. For a displaced family, an empty plate is not a metaphor, and there is no communiqué that can make it less empty.

The table in Paris is important. So is the Nigerian who has no table at all.

And while Nigeria is being represented abroad, Nigerians at home are asking a more immediate question: will we be safe tomorrow?

That question deserves the attention of the presidency as much as any foreign investment deal does.

Nigeria was never a French colony. That history matters, not because Nigeria should keep France at arm’s length, but because it should remind us of the basis on which the two countries meet: sovereignty.

We should trade with France. We should welcome French investment where it serves Nigerian interests. We should cooperate with France on security, culture, technology and diplomacy. We should also disagree with France whenever Nigeria’s interests require disagreement.

A sovereign country should be able to do all of that without the psychology of dependence.

Our relationship with France should therefore be a relationship between countries with interests to negotiate, not between a former colony and a former colonial power. Nigeria does not need to approach Paris with reverence. It needs to approach Paris with clarity about what Nigeria wants.

And whatever is negotiated in Paris in Nigeria’s name should eventually be understandable to Nigerians at home.

That is where transparency becomes important.

The Presidency has told Nigerians what happened at the Macron dinner. It has told us about the meeting with Bolloré and the investment interests discussed there. But an official account is not the same thing as public accountability. Where important national interests are involved, Nigerians deserve to know enough to understand what their government has agreed to pursue on their behalf.

This becomes particularly important in a presidency that has asked Nigerians to accept painful economic changes

The petrol subsidy was removed. The naira was allowed to adjust sharply. Transportation costs rose. Food prices became harder for ordinary households to absorb. Businesses were forced to confront higher operating costs. Your administration has argued that these reforms were necessary to correct structural weaknesses and put the economy on a more sustainable footing.

That argument can be made.

But the people making the sacrifice are entitled to ask what the sacrifice is producing.

A family in Gboko does not experience economic reform as a policy paper. It experiences it when the same amount of money buys less food, when transport consumes a larger part of household income and when a young person with qualifications still cannot find work.

If Nigerians are being asked to endure the immediate pain of reform in anticipation of a better future, government must be prepared to show them the road from one to the other.

Otherwise, what exactly was the sacrifice for?

The same principle applies to the continuing dispute in the United States over access to investigative records involving you. Your legal team has challenged the release of records sought through a Freedom of Information Act case, while the Presidency has stressed that the proceedings are a civil records-disclosure dispute and that no US court has found you guilty of criminal wrongdoing.

That distinction matters and should not be erased.

An allegation is not a conviction. A record is not automatically proof of wrongdoing. A court dispute over access to documents should not be presented as though it were itself a criminal judgment.

But transparency has another side.

When questions about a public official persist, citizens are entitled to ask whether as much information as the law permits should be available to them. Public confidence is not strengthened merely by telling people that a matter is complicated. It is strengthened when the facts that can lawfully be disclosed are placed beyond unnecessary doubt.

The same standard should apply to public contracts, government honours and access to state opportunities.

Whenever the government gives an individual or corporation a significant public benefit, Nigerians should be able to ask what due diligence was conducted, what qualifications justified the decision and what the country received in return. That is not an attack on business or investment. It is what accountability looks like when public resources and public institutions are involved.

Mr. President, this is why I am writing from Gboko.

The concern is larger than Paris.

It is about the relationship between the places where presidential decisions are made and the places where Nigerians have to live with their consequences.

Here, insecurity is not a line in a briefing. It is the community wondering whether another attack will come. It is the farmer calculating whether returning to his field is worth the risk. It is the family that hears the news of another killing and wonders how long before its own community is mentioned.

Here, economic reform is not a policy argument on television. It is the household trying to make the same income stretch further.

Here, unemployment is not merely a statistic. It is the young graduate who has spent years looking for a job and is beginning to wonder whether there is any place for his education in the country.

These are realities that official reports can describe but cannot fully convey.

You may conduct government from abroad. You may meet presidents, investors and international business leaders there. Some of those meetings may produce agreements that eventually benefit Nigeria. That is precisely why Nigerians should insist on knowing what those agreements contain and how their benefits will reach the country.

The world will continue to invite the Nigerian President. Paris will continue to receive you. Investors will continue to request meetings. Foreign governments will continue to seek Nigeria’s attention because Nigeria matters.

But none of those audiences is the final audience of your presidency.

That audience is here.

It is in Gboko and Makurdi, Kano and Maiduguri, Lagos and Enugu, Port Harcourt and Kaduna. It is the Nigerian who wakes up every morning and has no choice but to live with the consequences of what government decides.

Mr. President, you do not need to stop travelling.

You need to make every journey answerable to the people whose country you are travelling on behalf of.

Engage France. Engage Europe. Engage America. Bring investment home. Negotiate firmly. Build partnerships. Open markets. Pursue opportunities

But do not allow the foreign capitals where Nigeria’s President is received to become more familiar to the presidency than the Nigerian communities where the consequences of presidential decisions are endured.

The people of Gboko do not have the luxury of stepping away from Nigeria when things become difficult. They stay. They work. They struggle. They adjust. They wait.

They are entitled to expect the government that asks them for patience to remain close enough to understand what that patience is costing them.

Nigeria is a sovereign country. Its resources belong to its people, and its institutions are supposed to work for the public. Those principles should not become less important because the President is dealing with foreign governments, investors or powerful individuals.

The presidency, too, exists because of the Nigerian people. It should never become so removed from their daily reality that the country being governed begins to look different from the country being represented abroad.

Whatever is discussed in Paris, whatever is negotiated abroad and whatever is committed in the name of Nigeria must eventually be capable of being explained to Nigerians.

That is not too much to ask.

It is the minimum owed to the people whose country you lead.

From Gboko, that is the question I leave with you:

After all the journeys, all the meetings and all the conversations abroad, can Nigerians still see themselves clearly in the government being conducted in their name?

Nigeria belongs to Nigerians.

Please govern accordingly

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Zinedine Zidane’s debut as France coach was overshadowed by an injury to captain Kylian Mbappe in a 1-0 win away to Turkey on Friday, while Roberto Mancini’s first game back in charge of Italy ended in a 2-0 defeat to Belgium.

Read Also:AFCON: Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers results

Zidane, the France legend and member of the team that won the World Cup in 1998, was taking charge of Les Bleus for the first time since being appointed in late July as the successor to Didier Deschamps.

Mbappe gave his side the lead nine minutes into the second half in the UEFA Nations League Group A1 clash at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, just over 100 kilometres outside Istanbul.

But the Real Madrid superstar injured himself in the process of shooting, and looked to be in clear pain when he came off a few minutes later after initially attempting to carry on.

“It’s not great. Unfortunately I think he’s going to have to go home. We don’t want to take any risks,” Zidane told broadcaster TF1, suggesting that France’s all-time record goal-scorer will play no part in the three Nations League matches still to come over the next 10 days.

“He overextended his knee while shooting. It’s not very encouraging.”

France held on for the win without their captain, while Turkey finished the game with 10 men after goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was sent off late on for handling the ball outside his box as he raced out to deny Bradley Barcola.

So it looks set to be without Mbappe that France will head to Brussels for their next game against Belgium on Monday.

Belgium, playing their first match since losing to eventual winners Spain in the World Cup quarter-finals, spoiled Mancini’s return to the Italian national team by beating their hosts at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Mika Godts of Paris Saint-Germain ran through to give Belgium a 20th-minute lead, and substitute Dodi Lukebakio fired in from outside the box to double their advantage after the break.

Isak, Gyokeres strike for Sweden

“We need to think positively and not keep banging on all the time about what has happened in the past,” Mancini said later when asked if Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup was still hanging over the nation.

“In any case we can’t change what happened now,” added Mancini, who also said that boos by the home fans in the crowd of almost 50,000 were “normal” and “part of the game”.

Mancini was previously Italy coach between 2018 and 2023 and led them to victory at Euro 2020.

Elsewhere on Friday, Shea Charles of Fulham scored the winner deep in stoppage time as Northern Ireland won 1-0 away to Georgia in Group B2.

That was after PSG star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had a penalty saved for the home side.

Danylo Sikan’s goal gave Ukraine a 1-0 victory in Hungary in the same group, with the visitors holding on after having Oleksandr Nazarenko sent off late on.

Robert Lewandowski captained Poland in their 0-0 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B4, while Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres both scored as Sweden beat Romania 2-1 in Stockholm in the same section.

There were also wins for Armenia and Montenegro in League C.

The Nations League action continues on Saturday with England hosting Spain, who are playing their first game since winning the World Cup in July.

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Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Special Duties, Chief Tunde Rahman, has warned politicians hoping to contest the 2027 general election that social media popularity cannot substitute for serious political organisation and nationwide mobilisation.

Rahman, who spoke at the All Nigeria Editors Conference, ANEC, said winning a national election required more than maintaining a strong presence on social media, arguing that politicians must demonstrate the capacity to organise and field candidates across the country.

Rahman said: “We now have politicians who only prepare to contest elections on social media, not by campaigning to the people.

“Elections call for serious preparation. You cannot want to win a national election when you cannot even produce candidates across the country.”

Speaking on the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” Rahman said the media had a critical responsibility to ensure balanced coverage as political activities intensify ahead of 2027.

“These times are critical. We are preparing for a most consequential election. So, we must ensure a balance of media space.

If you allow the opposition to speak, as you have done with Mr Peter Obi, the government too must speak,” Rahman said.

Rahman described the ballot and the newsroom as critical institutions in sustaining democratic rule.

“Democracy lives in three places: the ballot, the barracks and the newsroom. The soldiers have returned to the barracks. What is left is the ballot and the newsroom. If either fails, democracy fails.”

According to him, “The ballot is the only thing that makes a market woman equal to a billionaire. For four hours on election day, they have the same power.

“Our job, as political actors and as government, is to protect that power – to ensure that votes count, that BVAS works and that INEC remains independent.”

Rahman also warned editors about the growing danger posed by Artificial Intelligence, AI, fake news and deepfakes to electoral credibility.

“In this age of AI, fake news and deepfakes, your task has become harder. Anyone can sit on WhatsApp and announce a fake election result. Only you can debunk it with credibility.”

He urged journalists not to allow the competition for online engagement to undermine professional standards.

“Let us punish lies with facts. Let us punish propaganda with professionalism. Let us not let clicks kill credibility,” he said.

Rahman added: “The media should not be pro-APC or pro-LP or pro-PDP. It should be pro-Nigeria, pro-ballot, pro-people.

“If the ballot is free and the media is fair, democracy will not just survive in Nigeria, it will thrive.”

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Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has warned that the informal arrangement of rotating the presidency between Nigeria’s northern and southern regions could come to an end if African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Atiku Abubakar wins the 2027 election.

Sani made the comment on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday while arguing that political parties should field southern candidates in the 2027 presidential election.

“If Atiku wins, it means that is the end of rotational presidency in Nigeria, and there is going to be hard and bitter feelings from the southern part of Nigeria. I don’t think anyone will like to preside over a country full of hate, animosity, and conflict. Right now, the political system is managing a lot of crises,” he said.

“I don’t think a northerner taking over power here will come in with ease and conveniently to the people in the southern part of Nigeria. But if we allow the South to have their eight years, by 2031, a northerner takes over, there will be no challenge from southern Nigeria. That is my own view.”

Sani, however, acknowledged that the Constitution does not prevent Atiku or any other northerner from contesting the presidency.

“I never said Atiku should not run. Constitutionally, he has a right to run for any election, but what I said was that a southern part of Nigeria should be allowed to have its eight-year tenure in office, just like the way the North has from 2015 to 2023,” he said.

He called on opposition parties to field southern candidates and allow the region to compete for the presidency in 2027.

“The NDC should field Peter Obi, the APM should field Makinde, let the South struggle it out and see who wins for four years. And when the tenure is done by 2031, the North should have its unchallengeable opportunity to produce the leadership of the country,” Sani said.

He also rejected the argument that a region’s larger population or electorate should automatically translate into prolonged control of the presidency.

“You cannot say that because you have the largest electorate and population, so you should continue dominating politics,” he said.

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Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game before having to come off grimacing with a knee injury as France won 1-0 in Turkey in the UEFA Nations League in new coach Zinedine Zidane’s first game in charge on Friday.

The Real Madrid superstar was moved out to the left wing by his new coach after being used through the middle of the France attack under former coach Didier Deschamps at the recent World Cup, which he ended as the top scorer with 10 goals.

It was from the left that Mbappe, France’s all-time top scorer, notched his 67th international goal, controlling and firing in low at the near post after being set up by Michael Olise.

He winced in pain as his teammates came across to celebrate the goal at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, just over 100 kilometres outside Istanbul.

Mbappe tried to carry on after receiving treatment, but eventually slumped to the ground and looked concerned as he prodded the outside of his left knee, before walking off to be replaced by Desire Doue.

France and Real will now nervously wait to discover the extent of the injury, with Les Bleus playing three more games over the next 10 days before the club season resumes.

The sight of his star player and skipper coming off overshadowed Zidane’s first match since being appointed coach in late July on a deal to 2030.

The France legend and 1998 World Cup winner is making his return to elite coaching for the first time since his second stint in charge of Madrid ended in 2021.

France, beaten in the semi-finals at the World Cup by eventual winners Spain, are in Group A1 of this edition of the Nations League and will now go to Brussels to face Belgium on Monday. Belgium won 2-0 away to Italy on Friday.

– Cherki plays –

Zidane, whose last match as a player came for France against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final, will then make his home debut as coach against the Italians at the Stade de France next Friday.

His first team selection was not dramatically different to the side that regularly played at the World Cup, although Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert was in at left-back while Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki came into the starting XI.

Olise, the Bayern Munich star who lit up the World Cup, was unlucky not to open the scoring late in the first half when his superb strike was tipped over by home goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.

France goalkeeper Mike Maignan responded at the start of the second half as he tipped over an attempt by Abdulkerim Bardakci for Turkey, who finished bottom of their group at the World Cup despite a 3-2 win over co-hosts the United States.

Mbappe’s goal came shortly after, and the visitors later saw Jules Kounde hit the post before Turkey were reduced to 10 men late on.

Cakir came flying out of his area to halt Bradley Barcola as the France substitute raced through on goal. German referee Felix Zwayer initially waved play on before undertaking a VAR review after which he decided the goalkeeper had handled the ball, which meant a red card.

Turkey, coached by former Italian international Vincenzo Montella, host Italy next on Monday.

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had offered Washington a plan that would see the Strait of Hormuz reopened to maritime navigation within seven days once agreed.

Read Also: Iran president says Tehran wants return to memorandum with US

Araghchi met for talks on Tuesday with US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, and previously set out conditions for ending the war and reopening the vital energy shipping channel.

“Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” Araghchi said at the UN Friday.

“The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats, or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure.

“I can tell you if there is seriousness in the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared.”

Earlier media reports suggest the new plan calls for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon.

It also reportedly calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets estimated to be worth at least $12 billion, as well as the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran.

On the seventh day of the truce, Iran would reopen Hormuz.

Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, told AFP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen was also among Tehran’s demands.

The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June that aimed to end the war, reopen the strait and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

But the deal broke down shortly afterward when Iran fired on commercial ships in Hormuz that it accused of deviating from its approved route through the waterway.

Iran requires ships to obtain authorization before passage, citing security and sovereignty reasons.

Ships that refuse to comply are regularly targeted, while the United States sporadically bombs Iranian coastal areas in retaliation.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday that his country wanted to return to the memorandum of understanding agreed with the United States in June, days after saying his country would not bend to Washington.

He welcomed China saying it wanted the agreement to be revived, posting on X that “Iran shares this approach and underscores the importance of returning to that understanding”.

Diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the Middle East war, launched by the US and Israel with surprise attacks on Iran in late February, have faltered for months.

The June deal aimed to lay the ground for a full peace deal but it quickly unravelled.

There had been optimism that talks might be revived during the UN General Assembly this week, but in a defiant speech to the world body on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said Iran would not “bend at the knee” to the US.

A day later he told Fox News that Iran did “not wish to continue” the war but it was up to Washington to end it.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took part in a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the General Assembly, but their talks did not immediately yield a breakthrough.

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…urges state to set up debt recovery c’ttee

By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT

The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued warrant of arrest on the Vice Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences.

The Assembly took the decision deliberating on the report of its Ad hoc Committee on the investigation of scholarship funds to PAMO University.

The report was presented to the house by the Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Speaker of the house, Hon. Dumle Maol, on Friday, at the 53rd Legislative sitting of the house.

The committee had in their report recommended that warrant of arrest be issued on the Vice Chancellor, and for the State Government to set up a committee to recover all unaccounted funds in possession of the PAMO University and deposit them in the Consolidated Revenue Account of the State.

The assembly had opened an investigation into the state government’s funding of programmes in the university since 2017 and had invited the Vice Chancellor of the University for questioning.

House, however, took the resolution amidst the alleged refusal of the PAMO University Vice Chancellor to appear before the Ad hoc Committee after several invitations, to explain how money given to the university under the scholarship scheme was expended.

The report recounted how the university received over N29 billion from the state government with allegedly no corresponding students enrolment, giving credence to the reason behind the Vice Chancellor’s refusal to honour the invitations.

Speaking, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule said though the intentions of the government in entering into the scholarship scheme agreement was good, but the implementation failed.

Amaewhule frowned at the situation where documents presented by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Accountant-General were at variance; adding that by simple deduction, out of the over N29 billion released by the State Government to PAMO University, it merely utilized only N5 billion.

The speaker according to the statement by his Special Assistant On Media Martins Wachukwu harped on the determination of the Assembly under his leadership to do the right thing irrespective of whose is involved.

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A woman who alleged that Jay-Z raped her when she was 13 has said she made “false accusations” and never met the US rapper, according to a court filing seen Friday.

The woman, who has not been identified, had claimed that Jay-Z and disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulted her following the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2000.

Jay-Z, who was born Shawn Carter, dismissed the accusation as a “fictional tale,” and the woman dropped her civil lawsuit against the pair in 2025.

“I have never met or spoken to Mr Carter. Mr Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct towards me,” the woman stated in the latest court document.

“There is no truth to any of my claims against Mr Carter,” she added.

“I understand that my false accusations have caused Mr Carter immense pain, suffering and damage that can never be fully undone.”

Her statement was filed by Jay-Z’s lawyers as part of a counter lawsuit against the woman and her attorneys, a case that is now being dismissed.

The woman said she made her complaint after seeing a Facebook advert for people with sexual assault claims against Combs, who has faced a raft of allegations in recent years and is in prison for prostitution charges.

“The ad triggered memories of being raped when I was 13 years old,” the woman said, adding she then contacted a law firm.

She said she does not recall having given her permission for lawyers to file the legal complaint in 2024, which she later withdrew after having “doubts” about her claims.

The document, partially redacted, suggests that the woman suffered from mental health problems.

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The US Supreme Court on Friday granted a Trump administration request to allow the use of a federal database to weed out potential non-citizens from the voter rolls.

A majority of the nine justices on the top court joined the unsigned opinion, providing a victory to President Donald Trump ahead of the November mid-term elections.

The three liberal justices on the conservative-dominated court dissented.

Trump has baselessly claimed for years that many non-citizens vote in US elections and that mail-in ballots are vulnerable to fraud.

Friday’s Supreme Court decision lifted a lower court order that had blocked the use of a Department of Homeland Security program known as Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) to verify the citizenship of individuals on the voter rolls.

SAVE is used to identify citizenship status to determine whether someone is eligible for benefits.

Ruling against the Trump administration in June, the lower court said, “States have partnered with the federal government to access the database and are actively removing United States citizens from voter rolls based on inaccurate information.

“All in all, the federal government has knowingly trampled on the privacy rights of American citizens in a manner that threatens the sacred right to vote,” the court said.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court said the federal government “has an obligation to respond to requests from state and local election officials seeking to verify the citizenship of voters.”

The lower court order blocking the use of SAVE “prevents the Federal Government from using the program it believes is best suited to the task.”

Attorney General Todd Blanche welcomed the Supreme Court ruling as a “huge victory for election integrity,” saying it will “allow states to clear the voter rolls of illegal voters.”

Election experts, however, said the ruling is unlikely to have a major impact on the November elections because most US states ban purges of voters 90 days ahead of an election.

“Both the majority and dissent agree that this case is likely to have limited impact on the midterms,” Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a blog post. “Compared to the recent mail-in voting case, this one is not very important substantively.”

Hasen was referring to a Supreme Court decision earlier this month that blocked a Trump plan that would have restricted the use of mail-in ballots.

Trump reacted furiously to that ruling calling it “horrible” and “highly political” in a Truth Social post.

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The Police Command in Niger has confirmed the killing of four people by unidentified armed men in Godoro and Angwan-Bisala communities under Katako District of Rafi LGA.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident happened on Wednesday, September 23.

Abiodun stated that two other people, injured during the attack, were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

According to him, armed men attacked the two communities at about 1:30am, killing four people and leaving two others seriously injured.

He added that the police had visited the scene of the attacks and an investigation into the incident had commenced. (NAN)

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