Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have arrived in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, for an engagement with Nigerians.

The two political leaders touched down in the state on Wednesday, November 4, amid heightened political activities and mobilisation by supporters ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Their arrival was announced by their political camp, which described Calabar as the People’s Paradise, while inviting Nigerians to engage with the two leaders.

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The visit comes hours after police operatives intervened to prevent a possible confrontation between supporters of the Obi-Kwankwaso movement and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the city.

The incident occurred around a hotel along Murtala Mohammed Highway, close to the U.J. Esuene Stadium, where the NDC had scheduled a presidential town hall meeting featuring Obi and Kwankwaso.

According to reports, hundreds of supporters of the two political camps converged in the area as APC supporters, including members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), conducted a street rally and road walk towards the Governor’s Office.

Tension reportedly escalated when both groups met near the hotel, with some Obi-Kwankwaso supporters partially blocking the highway.

Security operatives subsequently separated the groups and diverted the APC supporters to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Confirming the incident, the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said the command intervened through timely engagement with the groups.

He explained that officers appealed to both sides to exercise restraint, maintain peace and ensure their activities were conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.

A police officer who spoke anonymously also described the intervention as necessary to prevent a possible violent confrontation.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it identified approximately 1.5 million voter registrations with irregularities during its ongoing efforts to clean up the national voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure during a meeting with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, who led a UN delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters.

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Amupitan said the exercise was part of efforts to strengthen the credibility of the voters’ register and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

According to him, the Commission currently has approximately 103 million registered voters, with young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of the electorate.

He explained that INEC was conducting a comprehensive review of the register through the claims and objections process, adding that the final voters’ register would be published on December 15, 2026.

The INEC chairman also disclosed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) was ongoing across the country.

On preparations for the 2027 elections, Amupitan reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to credible polls through improved logistics, transparent result management and timely declaration of results.

He said INEC would continue strengthening the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to improve voter accreditation and public access to polling-unit results.

The chairman, however, identified misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation as major threats to electoral integrity, warning that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and coordinated online campaigns could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

He called for stronger collaboration with the United Nations to promote information integrity, counter electoral disinformation and improve public awareness ahead of the polls.

Speaking during the visit, Simão assured INEC of the United Nations’ support, stressing that the Commission was not alone in its responsibility to organise peaceful and credible elections.

“We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” he said.

The UN representative noted that Nigeria’s security challenges, including terrorism, made preparations for the elections particularly important.

He stressed that elections should not become another source of violence or instability but should promote peace, democratic stability and national development.

Simão also clarified that the United Nations would maintain a presence during the elections to encourage positive conduct and peaceful participation, although it would not serve as an election observer because it had no mandate to undertake election observation.

He added that peaceful and successful elections in Nigeria would have positive implications beyond the country, serving as an example for other West African nations and contributing to regional stability.

Amupitan further outlined areas where INEC would welcome greater UN cooperation, including conflict prevention, election security, early-warning mechanisms, stakeholder dialogue, peacebuilding and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, youths and persons with disabilities.

He also disclosed that the Commission was planning a mock accreditation and election exercise to test its electoral technologies, identify potential challenges and strengthen public confidence before the 2027 polls.

The chairman said INEC was working with relevant security agencies to identify areas vulnerable to electoral violence and develop appropriate preventive measures.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has directed police commissioners across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to intensify efforts to prevent the destruction of political campaign posters, banners and billboards ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The directive follows growing reports of deliberate defacement, tearing and unlawful removal of campaign materials belonging to political candidates and parties across the country.

The Nigeria Police Force, in a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, condemned the incidents, describing them as acts of political intolerance capable of undermining peaceful political participation.

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The Force warned political thugs, hoodlums and other individuals involved in the destruction of campaign materials to desist immediately or face arrest and prosecution.

According to the police, the destruction, defacement or unlawful removal of another candidate’s campaign materials may constitute malicious damage, a criminal offence under applicable laws, including Section 451 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 326 of the Penal Code Law.

The police stressed that political differences, party loyalty or support for a particular candidate do not give anyone the right to destroy another person’s property or prevent them from exercising their right to campaign.

Disu has consequently instructed commissioners of police to take proactive measures to prevent such incidents, investigate reported cases and ensure that anyone found culpable is arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The police chief also warned that political sponsors and individuals who recruit, encourage or facilitate the destruction of campaign materials would equally be held accountable where evidence establishes their involvement.

The Force further emphasised that all political parties and candidates, regardless of their affiliations or status, are entitled to equal protection under the law.

It called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully and respect the rights of others as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.

The statement was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, who reiterated that the police would not allow political thugs and troublemakers to turn the nation’s political environment into a theatre of lawlessness.

The Nigeria Police Force urged Nigerians to respect the law and allow democratic activities to proceed without intimidation, political intolerance or criminal conduct.