Politics
2027 Political Campaign Begins Today
Amupitan challenged the candidates to make the economy, national security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion central to their campaigns.
• INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan during the signing of the peace accord. Photo: INEC
THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, has declared that today, Wednesday, August 19, 2026, marks the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 general election.
According to INEC’s revised timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Amupitan declared the political campaign take off during a peace accord signing ceremony in Abuja by political parties and presidential and National Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The peace accord ceremony was organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre.
“Before the first campaign flag is unfurled, before the first rally is staged, and before political rhetoric fills our public space, it is necessary that those who seek to lead this nation first gather to establish the ethical boundaries of their contest,” Amupitan said.
According to him, Nigerians were expecting political parties and candidates to use the campaign period to discuss the challenges confronting the country rather than engage in personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric.
The INEC chairman said information gathered by the National Peace Committee’s Election Security Information Hub had shown an “alarming resurgence” of hate speech, toxic polarisation, coordinated misinformation and personality-driven political discourse.
He said the trend was particularly disturbing as Nigeria approached what was expected to be one of the most fiercely contested elections since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
Amupitan challenged the candidates to make the economy, national security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion central to their campaigns.
He likened elections to a competition for public office rather than warfare.
“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate. Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions,” he said.
Politics
I will concede defeat if 2027 election is credible — Obi
However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who conducted the poll knew what happened.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that he will concede defeat in the 2027 presidential election if the poll is free, fair and credible.
Obi stated this in an interview aired on Arise TV on Thursday, saying he would respect the will of Nigerians if they chose another candidate.
“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.
However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who conducted the poll knew what happened.
“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” he said.
Fielding question on what about “turn-by-turn” presidency, Obi said elections should not be determined by tribe or religion.
“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence; I have been all over the world studying what it takes to be president of a country, and I know what I can do to turn around this country in the right direction.”
Politics
Trump promises $5,000 ‘dividend’ to U.S. citizens if Republicans win midterms
It is estimated that the total proposed “Trump dividend” payout would cost more than $1 trillion — raising questions about how such an expense would be funded and its impact on fiscal strain facing the Federal budget.
U.S. President Donald Trump has promised every adult American citizen a $5,000 “dividend” if the Republicans are victorious at the upcoming midterm elections.
Americans will vote in the midterms in early November, with the Democrats currently projected to win control of the House of Representatives.
Such a result would likely create barriers to Trump’s legislative agenda and send a signal about public opinion on the president’s policy mix throughout his second presidential term.
“Here is my promise: if the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them… because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” he told a crowd at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas.
“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” he added.
It is estimated that the total proposed “Trump dividend” payout would cost more than $1 trillion — raising questions about how such an expense would be funded and its impact on fiscal strain facing the Federal budget.
The potential payout compares to the $1.27 trillion the U.S.
Politics
Benue Politician,Terhemba Shija Vows To Bring Back Home Over 900,000 in IDP Camps
Shija, while describing IDP camps as ranching human beings, said, ” First of all, I have to rescue them from this situation. They have to go back to their land. They have to resume their farming. They have to resume their normal life.
The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Benue State, Prof. Terhemba Shija, promises to reset the state if he wins the 2027 governorship election.
Shija gave the assurance during an appearance on ARISE News on Wednesday, declaring unacceptable – 900,000 people in Benue State currently living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.
Benue State has an official census population of 4,253,641 from 2006, with recent projections estimating the population to be over 6 million people.
Shija, while describing IDP camps as ranching human beings, said “First of all, I have to rescue them from this situation. They have to go back to their land. They have to resume their farming. They have to resume their normal life. We can’t continue normalising what is happening. And once you rescue them, then you set a programme for restructuring. You make sure that Benue is reset afresh.”
“As it is now, this state is in a state of disrepair. The state is no longer in the hands of the owners of the states. Most of over 900,000 people are living in IDP camps. You should know that Benue state is an agrarian state,”he said.
He emphasised “70% of the people of Benue are farmers. They can’t farm. Their land has been taken over by invaders.
Shija, blames the situation on “Herdsmen have taken over Benue land. And these people are living in IDP camps. Now the government has intended to introduce ranching. They have ended up ranching human beings. Human beings are now in IDP camps. And they are at the mercy of people in government.”
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