Abia State governor Alex Otti has warned against political violence and intimidation ahead of the 2027 elections.

What he said

Speaking to supporters on Monday, 9 November 2026, Otti said no person or group had his mandate to attack opposition parties or stop their members from campaigning. He directed security agencies to arrest and deal decisively with anyone who tries to disrupt lawful political activities in the state, regardless of party, including members of his own Labour Party.

Background

Concerns about political violence have grown as campaigns intensify. In the past week, one person died and five were injured in a clash at an NDC rally in Asaba, Delta State, and supporters of different parties have been attacked in other states. INEC has also condemned inflammatory slogans and warned of plots against election workers. Otti, a former banker, won the Abia governorship on the Labour Party platform in 2023, when Peter Obi was the party's presidential candidate. Obi has since moved to the NDC.

The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has defended President Bola Tinubu's physical fitness for a second term.

What he said

Speaking on a television politics programme on Monday, 9 November 2026, Yilwatda pointed to the President's busy weekend in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states as evidence of his health. He said he was there in person when Tinubu danced to local music in Akwa Ibom, and that the President attended a dinner and town hall meeting late on Friday before travelling to Rivers the next morning. He argued that someone who was not fit could not manage 48 hours of non-stop engagements and travel.

Background

Critics have raised questions about the President's health since before the 2023 election, and Obi has previously criticised the time Tinubu spends abroad. His supporters say he is fully fit and point to his campaign tour, which this week also includes Ebonyi and Jigawa states.

What happens next

The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has openly said he would be willing to become Nigeria's next Senate President, and would have no reason to turn down the position if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu backed him for it.

"I can't say no"

The former Abia State governor, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, made the statement in a television interview, as talk about the leadership of the next National Assembly begins to gather pace ahead of the 2027 general elections.

"If Tinubu chooses me as the next Senate President, I can't say no," Kalu said.

Brief as it was, the statement has added another twist to the political calculations already taking shape within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Zoning to the South-East?

For some time, there has been talk of zoning the next Senate presidency to the South-East. Nothing has been officially agreed, but that has not stopped political figures from being linked to the position.

One of the names being mentioned is Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who served as senator for Imo West before becoming governor. His reported interest has sparked political conversation, given his influence within the APC and his relationship with the party's national leadership.

There have also been reports of reactions involving FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, although the extent of any disagreement over the position remains unclear.

Kalu versus Uzodimma

Both Kalu and Uzodimma are experienced politicians from the South-East. Both have served in the Senate, and both have strong relationships within the ruling party.

The big question is whether the APC will actually zone the Senate presidency to the South-East in 2027, and if so, who will win the party's backing. For now, there is no official confirmation that the position has been reserved for the region.

The senators decide

It is worth remembering that the President has no constitutional power to appoint the Senate President. Senators elect their presiding officer themselves when a new National Assembly is inaugurated.

Even so, presidential support and internal party negotiations often play a major role in deciding who eventually emerges.

Whether Kalu's remarks signal serious ambition or simply a willingness to serve if called upon remains to be seen. What is clear is that the race for the leadership of the next National Assembly is already attracting attention, even before Nigerians go to the polls.

Over to you

If the Senate presidency is zoned to the South-East, who would be the better choice: Orji Uzor Kalu or Hope Uzodimma?

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed 1,608,660 invalid registrants from Nigeria's voter register.

What INEC announced

The commission said on Monday, 9 November 2026, that the removals followed complaints, objections and claims submitted by the public after it displayed the preliminary voter register in October. It also deleted the records of 876 voters confirmed to have died, after verifying claims submitted during the review. INEC said the display of the preliminary register was meant to allow citizens and civil society groups to flag errors, duplicates and other irregularities.

What happens next

INEC said it will publish the final, cleaned-up register on 16 December 2026, as required by the Electoral Act. The commission expects more than 103 million registered voters for the 2027 elections.

Background

The figure is in line with the roughly 1.5 million questionable records INEC said earlier it had identified. A former INEC director, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, questioned last week how so many invalid entries could have entered the register despite biometric safeguards, and called on the commission to explain how they were detected. Opposition parties have also raised concerns about alleged AI-generated photographs in the register.

Why it matters

A credible voter register is key to public confidence in the 16 January 2027 presidential election.