Today’s Headlines: Rainbow Coalition: APC Mounts Pressure on Govs; 2027: Ex-APC Spokesman Warns INEC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, has urged governors elected on the party’s platform to ensure victory for all its candidates in the 2027 elections, including presidential, governorship and legislative contests. He said the party was not threatened by the Rainbow Coalition championed by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing his support for President Bola Tinubu as welcome while insisting that the APC would campaign for all its candidates.

Basiru said Wike’s decision to coordinate Tinubu’s campaign in Rivers State and the FCT was a positive development, adding that the minister had not requested financial or logistical support from the party. He also defended Tinubu’s administration, claiming that the economy had stabilised, monthly allocations to states had risen to about ₦2 trillion, and millions of Nigerians had benefited from education loans and cash transfers.

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, has warned President Bola Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against manipulating the 2027 general election, insisting that Nigerians would reject any result that does not reflect their votes. He expressed concern over allegations of artificial intelligence-generated names and photographs in the national voter register, urging INEC to investigate questionable entries and explain how the register was compiled.

Frank also called on the United States, United Kingdom and European Union to engage diplomatically with the Nigerian government and INEC to ensure credible elections. Citing Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, he accused the commission of failing to meet the statutory requirement for publishing the national voter register at least 90 days before the election. He further warned against relying on the courts to settle disputes arising from alleged electoral malpractice, urging authorities to address concerns before the polls.

Police in Zamfara State have confirmed the rescue of three of six Islamic clerics abducted by armed bandits on September 12 while travelling to Talata Mafara for a special prayer session for President Bola Tinubu. The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Bello, said the operation involved collaboration between the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force. The rescued clerics were reportedly unharmed and in stable condition.

Security operations are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining three victims, who were kidnapped along the Dakko-Damri feeder road near Sububu Forest in Bakura Local Government Area. The bandits had reportedly demanded ₦30 million ransom, while the police appealed to residents to provide useful intelligence to help locate the remaining captives and apprehend the perpetrators.

A US federal judge, Trina Thompson, has issued a temporary restraining order barring the Justice Department from threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution over their refusal to comply with directives to halt the processing of ballots belonging to registered voters suspected of being non-citizens. The ruling followed a lawsuit by labour unions and civil rights groups challenging the actions of the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

The judge also prohibited federal officials from demanding the removal of registered voters from electoral lists, withholding their ballots or preventing votes from being counted based on alleged ineligibility. The order, which expires on November 16, represents a setback for President Donald Trump’s administration, which has faced criticism over its efforts to restrict voting and claims of potential electoral fraud.

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