The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas has praised security agencies in Abia State for their collaboration in crime fighting and maintenance of peace in Abia State.

He stated this on Monday at Owerrinta, Abia State during the commissioning of internal roads and operational facilities at Nigerian Navy College of Accounts and Finance.

Represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Ebiobowei Zipele, the Chief of the Naval Staff also thanked the Abia State government for its support to the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies.

Abbas pointed out that the collaboration between the Navy and the State government was vital to operational efficiency of Navy personnel serving in the State.

He stressed the importance of adequate security arrangements to protect the proposed Azumini Seaport project in Ukwa East LGA of Abia.

Abbas urged the College management to maintain the facilities and charged personnel to uphold discipline, accountability and integrity, adding that resources entrusted to the Navy belonged to the Nigerian people and must be managed responsibly.

In his speech , Governor Alex Otti appreciated the Nigerian Navy for its contributions to education, healthcare and community development, and expressed hope that the Navy would expand its educational activities in the state to include secondary and vocational institutions.

He stressed that investment in human capital equips the young people and reduces their involvement in criminal activities.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, 2027 presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna State has continued to generate controversy, with opposition parties questioning President Bola Tinubu’s popularity and fitness to lead the country.

DAILY POST reports that President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign was officially flagged off at the Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna State on Saturday.

However, photographs and video clips from the event have sparked widespread criticism, particularly over the President’s conduct and the alleged low turnout of supporters.

While opposition leaders have urged Tinubu to abandon his re-election bid, citing concerns over his alleged ill health, as purportedly shown in a viral video, and declining popularity, the ruling APC has dismissed the claims.

On Sunday, a video showing Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, allegedly placing a substance suspected to be pills into the mouth of President Tinubu went viral on social media.

In the footage, the First Lady could be seen placing the substance in the President’s mouth while he remained seated.

The video sparked speculation about the President’s physical condition, with some viewers claiming that he appeared unable to move one of his hands freely.

Opposition figures who reacted to the video alleged that the President could be battling an undisclosed medical condition and should take a break from politics.

Calling on Tinubu to step aside and seek urgent medical attention, the opposition figures argued that the President’s alleged health challenges could affect his capacity to handle the demands of governing the country.

You need medication, not campaign – Atiku’s aide, Ibe

Reacting to the video, Paul Ibe, media aide to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, urged President Tinubu to abandon his re-election bid and seek medical attention.

Ibe said the President was medically unfit to lead the country.

Speaking with DAILY POST on Sunday, Ibe urged the President’s family to prioritise his well-being and take proper care of him instead of moving him around for campaigns.

He said, “Tinubu is sick and needs medical care. His family should take an honourable decision in the interest of their husband and father and pull him out to give him medical attention.

“Medical care is what Tinubu needs now, not the campaign. If you watch the viral video, you will see him shaking. That’s not a man who is well.

“If you noticed, they were deliberate about how they manipulated their cameras. No camera zoomed in on him. Most of the time he was talking, the camera did not show him.”

Nigeria must stop using its Presidency to treat sick people – Sowore

On his part, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, insisted that President Tinubu was battling a health crisis, arguing that Nigeria needed a more vibrant leader.

Sowore, an activist, said although he had no power to prevent anyone, including himself, from falling ill, Nigeria needed leaders whose health conditions were verifiable and reliable.

He dismissed the ruling party’s claims that Tinubu was hale and hearty, describing such assurances as lies that would eventually expire.

“Here is Remi Tinubu popping what appear to be pills into Tinubu’s mouth during the Kaduna rally.

“This man is sick, I insist. Nigeria must stop using its Presidency to treat sick people,” he said.

However, the APC pushed back against the claims, insisting that the President is healthy and capable of piloting the affairs of the nation.

God is in charge of everybody’s health – APC founding member, Osita Okechukwu

A founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Osita Okechukwu, has pushed back against opposition remarks concerning Tinubu’s health.

Speaking in an interview with DAILY POST, Okechukwu said it was not in African culture to speak ill of another person’s health, stressing that God remained in control of everyone’s well-being.

According to him, the President was well and was seeking votes from Nigerians for a second term.

He said, “There is a saying in my village that harmattan is approaching and everybody pointed at a dried tree and said that it was going to fall.

“The harmattan eventually came and passed, but it was the fresh tree that fell, not the dried one.

“It is not the culture of Africans to talk about somebody’s health in that manner, except you are a medical expert and Mr President is your patient.

“I find it disturbing that people are talking about somebody’s health like that. If the President says he is fine and he is asking Nigerians to vote for him for a second tenure, I think we should listen to him.

“If we have anything to talk about, it should be about an issue-based campaign, not about his health. It is only the Almighty God that is in charge of all our health.

“I have seen people who go to bed healthy but couldn’t wake up. I dislike that kind of talk from the opposition. I don’t know if there is any culture that supports people speculating about another person’s health.”

Kaduna APC campaign a failure – Opposition

The opposition also questioned President Tinubu’s popularity in the North, alleging that the Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna State was largely empty during the APC presidential campaign flag-off.

Popular political commentator, Isaac Fayose claimed that the ruling party brought supporters from different parts of the country, including Delta State, but still failed to fill what he described as a 5,000-capacity stadium.

“If you see the APC campaign in Kaduna today, you will know that the party is gone. Everybody hates them now. The governor used a stadium that has only 5,000 capacity, and even with that, they were not able to fill it.

“They have finished the country, and the people are rejecting them everywhere,” he said.

Similarly, Paul Ibe told DAILY POST that the ruling party allegedly tried to conceal the poor turnout by restricting camera angles at the venue.

“The reason the camera did not show Tinubu is because of the crowd. They were trying to manage the situation. They didn’t want to advertise the empty stadium.

“They were using pictures from Buhari’s campaign in the past for their propaganda, but people have debunked it,” he said.

However, the former VON DG, Okechukwu, disagreed with the opposition, insisting that the stadium was overflowing.

Contrary to the opposition’s claim, Okechukwu described the rally as a success, stating that he did not see the low turnout being alleged.

“The rally turnout was very great. The stadium was filled up. Governor Sani, whom I know, would have preferred the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, but it is under repair and there is no way they could complete it before the rally. That was why they used the Ranchers Bees Stadium.

“I did not see anything like poor attendance. One of the media people showed people outside the stadium who could not get into the main venue,” he said.

He, however, urged Northerners not to be swayed by those advocating for a northern presidential candidate, arguing that the ADC candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had breached the unwritten power-sharing agreement between the North and South.

“My northern brothers should understand that those marketing Atiku Abubakar as if he is a northern candidate are not friends of the North.

“Nobody should preach the gospel of ‘this is our son’. The son is breaching the understanding reached at the beginning of the Fourth Republic,” he added.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has described the All Progressives Congress, APC, promise to deliver two million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections as unrealistic.

The party’s ‎candidate for Ringim/Taura Federal Constituency in Jigawa State, Hon. Shehu Sule Udi, stated this while reacting to Jigawa APC’s earlier declaration that it would deliver two million votes to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

‎He argued that the number of registered voters in the state, displayed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had exposed what he described as political propaganda by the ruling party.

‎According to him, Jigawa State has a total of 2,807,811 registered voters, making APC’s two million votes target unrealistic.

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‎”This clearly shows that the party is just making propaganda,” he said.

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‎”Look at how our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other candidates are gaining support across Jigawa State every day. For somebody to tell you that they will deliver two million votes to Tinubu is ridiculous.

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‎”People of Jigawa State are tired of this administration. They have suffered enough, and no reasonable person will vote for the APC in the coming election.

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‎”Our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will win Jigawa State with massive votes and defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Udi stated.

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‎He maintained that the ADC remained a credible alternative capable of addressing the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

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‎Udi also expressed confidence that the growing support for the ADC across Jigawa State would translate into victory for the party in the 2027 general elections.

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‎Speaking while welcoming defectors from other political parties in Ringim and Taura Local Government Areas, Udi described their decision to join the ADC as a major boost to the party’s strength ahead of the elections.

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‎He assured the new members that they would be treated as equal stakeholders, regardless of their previous political affiliations.

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‎The candidate emphasised the importance of unity, cooperation and collective responsibility in building a strong political platform capable of addressing the needs of the people.

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‎He urged both old and new members of the ADC to work together to strengthen the party’s presence across Ringim and Taura Local Government Areas.

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‎Udi also called for increased political participation, grassroots mobilisation and inclusive leadership as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho has praised the bravery of his team following a 2-1 victory over Barcelona on Sunday.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice either side of a Raphinha goal, to ensure that Madrid closed the gap between them and the LaLiga champions to three points.

After the match, Mourinho hailed his players for how they dealt with Barca’s press and stayed calm.

Mourinho also admitted that Madrid played a dangerous game by not getting the second goal to go two up.

He said: “My boys were amazing tonight. They were very brave, especially in build-up, against a team that presses very strongly and very high.

“And even when they equalized, we did not panic or lose focus.”

Madrid’s next league fixture will see them travel to Racing Santander, as they seek to apply more pressure on Barcelona at the top of the table.

Mourinho’s men are then away to AEK Athens in the Champions League.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has said that its campaign is not about noise but substance.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Osa Director, made this assertion on Sunday during an interview on Arise Television.

Director said the NDC was among the first parties to start campaigning ahead of the elections.

“We are not behind; our campaign is simply not one of noise without substance.

“We have held at least four town halls with citizens,” he said.

According to him, the NDC is focused on engaging citizens directly through town halls rather than making noise on social media and rallies without substance.

His remark comes amid claims that the NDC is behind in campaigns compared to other parties.

He further said that the NDC had listened to citizens’ concerns and presented their plans.

The NDC mouthpiece insisted that the party’s campaign strategy is deliberate and substance over noise.

Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to investigate the alleged killing of a teenager, Umar Muhammad, popularly known as Gajiye, by a police officer during a Maulid celebration in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

The organisation made the call in a post on its official Facebook page on Sunday, describing the incident as an alleged extrajudicial execution and demanding accountability for the boy’s death.

According to the organisation, eyewitnesses reported that the Divisional Police Officer, a Superintendent of Police, and his team initially visited the venue of the Islamic gathering to complain about what they described as excessive noise from loudspeakers.

Amnesty International said the organisers immediately complied with the officers’ request by disconnecting the loudspeakers.

However, the organisation alleged that the DPO returned shortly afterwards with a team of police officers, who dispersed the gathering and fired shots indiscriminately.

“Umar was shot dead and left in a pool of blood,” the organisation said, adding that the teenager was allegedly shot at close range.

Amnesty International called on the Nigeria Police Force to conduct an investigation.

“The Nigeria Police must impartially and immediately investigate this incident and ensure that all the police officers involved are held to account in fair trials,” it said.

The organisation also expressed concern that the incident reflected a wider pattern of alleged human rights violations in which perpetrators are rarely held accountable.

“What happened to Umar Muhammad exposes a pattern of ruthless human rights violations in which suspected perpetrators are never held to account,” Amnesty International said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen measures to protect persons with disabilities and guarantee their participation in the 2027 general elections.

The commission said electoral security arrangements must address the specific challenges faced by voters with disabilities, including intimidation, inaccessible polling units, communication barriers and threats of violence.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Friday during a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja.

The meeting, held at the Abuja Inter-Continental Hotel, brought together security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to develop strategies for safer and more accessible elections.

Amupitan said the success of an election should be measured not only by the conduct of voting but also by whether all eligible citizens could exercise their rights without fear or discrimination.

“The credibility of our elections depends not only on the voting process but also on the ability of every eligible citizen to participate freely, safely and without discrimination,” he said.

He warned that persons with disabilities remained vulnerable to obstacles that could restrict their participation and called for stronger safeguards against harassment, intimidation and insecurity.

“Persons with disabilities must be protected against intimidation, harassment, insecurity and other barriers that could prevent them from exercising their franchise,” the INEC chairman said.

Amupitan identified the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 among the legal instruments supporting inclusive electoral participation.

He also cited Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, which provide for priority access, assistance and appropriate voting materials for persons with disabilities.

The chairman urged the police to maintain professionalism and impartiality while ensuring that security operations did not undermine the dignity or independence of voters requiring assistance.

“Appropriate assistance must preserve the dignity, independence, privacy and freedom of choice of voters with disabilities,” he said.

He called for disability-related concerns to be integrated into security assessments, personnel training, deployment plans and emergency-response procedures before election day.

According to him, such preparations should include identifying polling locations that are difficult to access, areas prone to congestion, potential security flashpoints and communication challenges that could prevent voters from casting their ballots.

Amupitan also advocated improved cooperation among INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES.

He said the collaboration should facilitate timely information-sharing, clarify the responsibilities of participating agencies and ensure swift responses to emerging security threats.

The INEC chairman listed the development of clear disability-inclusive security protocols, specialised training for police officers, accessible incident-reporting channels and continuous engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities among the measures required ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen cooperation to guarantee the safe and unhindered participation of persons with disabilities, PWDs, in the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Friday, October 23, 2026, during a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols at the Abuja Inter-Continental Hotel.

The meeting, themed “Securing the Vote for All: Advancing Inclusive, Safe and Rights-Based Electoral Participation Ahead of the 2027 General Elections,” was attended by representatives of the police and other security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders.

Amupitan said credible elections required more than an efficient voting process, stressing that every eligible Nigerian must be able to exercise their franchise freely, safely and without discrimination.

He noted that voters with disabilities must be shielded from intimidation, harassment, insecurity and other obstacles that could deny them the opportunity to participate in the electoral process.

The INEC chairman identified the 1999 Constitution, as amended; the Electoral Act 2026; the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018; and Nigeria’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as legal frameworks supporting inclusive elections.

He also drew attention to Clauses 19, 21, 27 and 28 of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026, which provide for priority access, appropriate assistance and assistive voting materials for voters with disabilities.

On security arrangements, Amupitan highlighted the responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force to maintain public order, protect lives and property, prevent electoral violence and ensure a safe environment for the conduct of elections.

He urged security personnel to uphold professionalism, impartiality and sensitivity in their interactions with people with different disabilities. He added that assistance provided to voters must respect their dignity, independence, privacy and freedom to make their own choices.

According to him, disability inclusion should be incorporated into election security planning, personnel training, deployment strategies and incident-response procedures well ahead of Election Day.

He further called for security assessments to identify potential challenges, including inaccessible polling units, overcrowding, possible flashpoints and communication barriers that could hinder voters with disabilities.

Amupitan also stressed the importance of stronger collaboration among INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES.

He said effective information-sharing, clearly defined responsibilities and timely responses to emerging threats would be critical to protecting voters.