By Emmanuella Opara | October 23rd 2026
KEY POINTS
- The APC is targeting northern voters ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
- Atiku Abubakar has urged INEC to publish the preliminary register of more than 103 million voters.
- The Federal Government says 15 states have yet to update their Ebola response plans.
- Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised Tinubu’s economic reforms, citing the naira’s depreciation.
- Filip Hrgovic has urged Anthony Joshua to retire ahead of his proposed December fight against Tyson Fury.
MAIN STORY
Nigeria’s 2027 general election, preparations against the Ebola outbreak and criticism of the Federal Government’s economic policies featured among the major issues attracting attention on Friday.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is preparing to launch President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Kaduna State, with the ruling party seeking to strengthen its support across northern Nigeria.
The region accounts for 56.01 million of Nigeria’s 103.43 million registered voters, representing approximately 54 per cent of the national total.
The party expects governors and other political leaders to attend the campaign flag-off as it pursues its target of mobilising 40 million votes through grassroots engagement, particularly among women.
Meanwhile, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku, who is seeking the presidency under the African Democratic Congress, said Nigerians should be able to inspect the register, challenge questionable entries and correct omissions before the polls.
He expressed concern that the register was not available on INEC’s online portal despite the commission’s announcement that the number of registered voters had exceeded 103 million.
The Federal Government has also directed hospitals nationwide to prepare isolation beds and strengthen infection prevention measures as part of efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said 21 states had accelerated their preparations, while 15 states were yet to update their response plans.
The government has instructed health facilities to make adequate provisions for suspected cases and protect frontline health workers.
In another development, former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticised Tinubu’s economic reforms, arguing that the devaluation of the naira had significantly reduced Nigerians’ purchasing power.
Speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit 2026 in London, Obasanjo said the exchange rate had moved from about N500 to the dollar to N1,500 following the administration’s reforms in 2023.
He argued that the currency’s depreciation had made Nigerians poorer, describing the economic consequences as severe.
In sports, International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic has advised Anthony Joshua to retire from professional boxing.
Hrgovic said he felt sorry for Joshua and believed the British-Nigerian boxer should no longer compete. Joshua is preparing for a proposed December 11 showdown with Tyson Fury in Cardiff.
THE ISSUES
The five developments highlight key concerns facing Nigeria, including the mobilisation of voters ahead of the 2027 elections, transparency in the electoral process, public health preparedness and the economic consequences of currency depreciation.
The availability of the preliminary voters’ register will be important to electoral transparency, while the readiness of the remaining 15 states will remain relevant to the country’s response to the Ebola outbreak.
WHAT’S NEXT
The APC is scheduled to launch Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Kaduna on Saturday, October 24, as political parties begin intensifying preparations for the 2027 elections.
INEC faces calls to make the preliminary voters’ register accessible for public scrutiny, while the Federal Government has urged states yet to update their Ebola response plans to accelerate their preparations.
BOTTOM LINE
Nigeria’s political preparations for 2027 are gathering pace alongside demands for greater electoral transparency. At the same time, Ebola readiness and the impact of economic reforms remain prominent national concerns.
