INEC Releases Final List of 18 Presidential Candidates for 2027 Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 general elections.

The list, signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, was released in Abuja on Saturday and features candidates sponsored by 18 political parties.

Among the presidential candidates are incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Oluseyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Others include Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Sunday Chibuzo Okereke of the Labour Party, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Sandy Ojang Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rufai Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance and Aliyu Abbas-Bin of the Action Democratic Party.

The list also includes Kabiru Yusuf of the Allied Peoples Party, Sunday Adenuga of the Boot Party, Moses Adebisi of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement, Daniel Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party and Peter Ada Agada of the Young Progressive Party.

INEC also listed 14 male and four female vice-presidential candidates.

The female running mates are Peace Egobia Ofordile of the Allied Peoples Party, Nafisat Usaku Abubakar of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, Hajja Bintu Konto of the Labour Party and Patience Ndidi Key of the Young Progressive Party.

The final list formally confirms the presidential contenders ahead of the 2027 election.

INEC, Police Move Against Politicians Over Threats Ahead of 2027

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have vowed to take action against politicians who issue threats, make inflammatory remarks or attempt to intimidate opponents ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The warning comes amid growing concerns over statements by political actors that could heighten tension and trigger violence as political activities intensify across the country.

INEC said the Electoral Act 2026 gives it powers to monitor political campaigns and sanction political parties and candidates that violate electoral rules. The law prohibits threats, use of force and violence during campaigns.

Under the Act, anyone who threatens or uses force, violence or restraint to influence another person’s voting decision commits an offence and may face a fine of up to N2 million or three years’ imprisonment.

The police also said inciting statements constitute a criminal offence and that individuals found culpable would be arrested, investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The Force said it was preparing sensitisation campaigns for its officers and members of the public to discourage inflammatory political statements and prevent the escalation of tensions ahead of the elections.

Civil society organisations have also urged security agencies to ensure that politicians who make threats are prosecuted, warning that selective enforcement could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

They noted that unchecked political intimidation could lead to pre-election violence, discourage voter participation and threaten the credibility of the 2027 elections.

Stakeholders have consequently called on political parties and their supporters to focus on issue-based campaigns and respect democratic principles as preparations for the elections continue. 

2027 Election: INEC Raises Alarm Over AI-Generated Fake News

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that artificial intelligence-generated disinformation could threaten the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), said the increasing use of AI to create fake audio, videos and images could make it harder for voters to distinguish genuine political information from fabricated content.

Amupitan spoke on Wednesday in Abuja through a National Commissioner, Sani Adam (SAN), at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria. His remarks were contained in a statement signed by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi.

The INEC chairman said the credibility of elections now depended not only on the integrity of the ballot, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and result sheets, but also on how electoral information was communicated, understood and trusted by voters.

He said INEC was carrying out a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems, including system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery plans, ahead of the 2027 election.

Amupitan also disclosed that the commission was considering a mock presidential election to test its preparedness, including voter accreditation, result transmission and result viewing under conditions similar to election day.

He warned that generative AI had made it cheaper and more difficult to detect manipulated political content, while algorithmic microtargeting could allow different groups of voters to receive conflicting political messages.

According to him, such false content could spread to millions of social media users before fact-checkers or electoral authorities could verify it.

Amupitan further disclosed that INEC had proposed a substantial budget for technology and election operations, including new accreditation devices to replace those lost or damaged during the last electoral cycle.

He said the commission was awaiting the full release of the funds, while its ICT team had begun discussions with manufacturers and preparations for the technology audit and proposed mock election continued.

INEC Declares Adeleke Winner of Osun Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Adeleke won in 19 of the 30 local government areas, securing a total of 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, who polled 444,815 votes.

The State Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, announced the final results at about 7:24 a.m. on Sunday. He said a total of 1,005,800 votes were cast, with 985,079 declared valid and 20,721 rejected.

Following the signing of the results by agents of the participating political parties, Professor Ogunwole formally declared Adeleke the winner and returned him as Governor of Osun State for another term.

Osun Decides: INEC Begins Uploading Election Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the uploading of results from the Osun State governorship election to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

As of 4:12 p.m. on Saturday, 437 of the 3,763 expected polling unit results had been uploaded, representing about 11.6 per cent of the total.

The figures displayed on the IReV portal showed that 3,326 polling unit results were still awaiting upload, with the process expected to continue as results are transmitted from polling units.

INEC had earlier announced that results from all 3,763 polling units across the state would be uploaded to the IReV portal after voting to promote transparency in the electoral process. The polling units are spread across 30 Local Government Areas and 332 Registration Areas/Wards.

The commission also said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices deployed for the election would facilitate the electronic transmission of polling unit results to the public portal.

The Osun governorship election is being contested by 15 political parties.

Dancing Doesn’t Affect My Performance as Governor, Says Adeleke

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has defended his love for dancing, insisting that the hobby has not affected his performance in office.

Adeleke made the remarks on Tuesday during a town hall meeting organised for candidates contesting the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

The governor described himself as a “prudent worker” and said dancing was simply part of his personality and a hobby he enjoyed.

He maintained that despite his public displays of dancing, his administration had delivered projects across various sectors of the state.

Adeleke’s comments followed criticism from Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who recently mocked his dancing during an APC campaign rally in Osun State and referred to him as the “dancing governor.”

The Osun governor said those who were offended by his dancing should learn to dance, stressing that the hobby had never interfered with his responsibilities.

He added that his personality was appreciated by his people and that dancing remained nothing more than a hobby.

Senate Clears Bamidele, Adaramodu Over Commercial Bus Preaching Bill

The Senate has denied reports linking the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, to the controversial proposal seeking penalties for preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles.

Reacting to the growing public backlash over the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Amendment Bill, 2026, Adaramodu clarified that neither he nor Bamidele sponsored or introduced the legislation.

The controversy followed the Senate’s consideration of the amendment bill, which retains a provision prescribing a ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.

The provision has attracted criticism from religious groups, civil society organisations, opposition parties and many Nigerians, who argue that it is insensitive amid the country’s economic challenges and rising unemployment.

However, the Senate maintained that the provision is not a new attempt to ban religious preaching or evangelism in public transport. According to the upper chamber, the clause has existed in the FRSC Act since 2007 and was merely retained in the amendment bill.

The Senate also clarified that the bill originated from the House of Representatives and was not sponsored by Senator Bamidele.

Adaramodu urged Nigerians not to assume that every debate or proposal in the National Assembly automatically becomes law. He explained that after a bill is considered by the Committee of the Whole, it may be adopted or rejected.

If adopted, the bill is forwarded to the other chamber of the National Assembly for concurrence, where it undergoes another round of legislative scrutiny. Any differences between both chambers are resolved by a joint conference committee before the harmonised version is transmitted to the executive.

He added that the bill is subsequently reviewed by the Federal Ministry of Justice and other relevant agencies before being presented to the President for assent.

According to the senator, only after completing all constitutional and legislative procedures can any bill become law.

Adaramodu also dismissed claims circulating on social media that he and Bamidele were responsible for the controversial provision, describing the reports as false and misleading.

Burnham Becomes UK Prime Minister After Meeting King Charles III

Andy Burnham has officially become the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, where he was invited to form a new government following the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer.

Starmer left Downing Street on Monday after delivering a farewell address, saying his two years in office had helped make Britain a better place. He then travelled to Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation to the King.

Following Starmer’s departure, Burnham met with King Charles III and accepted the monarch’s invitation to form the next government. At 56, Burnham becomes the sixth person to serve as UK Prime Minister in the past decade.

In his final remarks as Prime Minister, Starmer said his work was done as he formally handed over power to Burnham, bringing his two-year tenure to an end.

Andy Burnham Set to Become Britain’s New Prime Minister

Andy Burnham is set to be sworn in as the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister on Monday, becoming the country’s seventh leader in just 10 years.

Burnham succeeds Keir Starmer, whose popularity declined despite leading the Labour Party to a landslide election victory two years ago, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.

Following a formal invitation from King Charles III to form a new government, Burnham is expected to deliver his first address outside 10 Downing Street after Starmer officially leaves office.

Attention will also be on Burnham’s first cabinet appointments, which are expected later on Monday, particularly the announcement of who will succeed Rachel Reeves as finance minister.

Andu Congratulates Adegunwa-Balogun on APC Deputy Governorship Ticket

A prominent indigene of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, Mr. Demola Andu, popularly known as “The Bridge,” has congratulated Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun on her emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.

In a congratulatory message, Andu described Adegunwa-Balogun’s nomination as a significant milestone for the state and a positive step toward achieving greater development and progress in Ogun.

The diaspora-based Nigerian and grandson of the late Ibiade businessman, Alhaji Andu, said the APC made the right choice by selecting Adegunwa-Balogun, noting that her wealth of experience, leadership qualities, and professional accomplishments would serve as valuable assets to the governorship ambition of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.

According to him, the Yayi/Adegunwa-Balogun ticket has the potential to deliver impactful governance and accelerate socio-economic development across the state if elected in 2027.

Andu described Adegunwa-Balogun as an accomplished leader whose emergence has inspired renewed hope among residents, particularly women and young people who view her as a symbol of excellence and purposeful leadership.

He prayed for divine guidance, wisdom, and good health for the APC deputy governorship candidate as she prepares for the responsibilities ahead.

The Ogun Waterside indigene also urged residents of the state, especially those in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the electoral process by supporting APC candidates in future elections.

He expressed confidence that Adegunwa-Balogun’s emergence would usher in greater opportunities and quality service delivery for the people of Ogun State.