Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged opposition politicians to acknowledge President Bola Tinubu’s performance, insisting that political differences should not prevent them from recognising what he described as the President’s achievements.

Wike made the remarks during his media chat on Tuesday while speaking about the political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 general elections and criticism of the Tinubu administration.

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He said some politicians publicly support the President at the national level but take a different position at the sub-national level because of their desire to maintain control of their states.

“I know that sometimes, some people will come out publicly, will support you at the national level, but at the sub-national level, forget it,” Wike said.

He added that such politicians believe the President should win at the national level while they retain control of their respective states.

“But this time around I came out open because of the period we are in,” he said.

According to Wike, several politicians have been making statements about the 2027 general elections, with some claiming that Tinubu has done nothing since assuming office.

He argued that opposition parties should not dismiss the President’s performance simply because they want to take over power.

“You have to check the governor of Bauchi, who is a member of PDP, who has a presidential candidate, came out to say, ‘Look at television, that Mr. President has done well,’” he said.

Wike also urged Nigerians to consider the state of the economy before and after Tinubu assumed office.

“See what I was telling you about Bauchi. See what he has done. See what our economy is before, see what it is now,” he said.

The FCT minister maintained that political opposition should not prevent politicians from acknowledging what they consider positive developments in the country.

“You know, time has come, not because you’re an opposition party, and then you just say the man who is the chief of affairs of the country has done nothing either for the sake of, I mean, opposition, that is not fair,” he said.

He further argued that politics should not be treated as a do-or-die affair, adding that the desire to win elections should not prevent political actors from recognising the performance of their opponents.

“For us, and whether anybody likes us or not, Mr. President has done well,” Wike said.

He accused the opposition of focusing on its ambition to take over power while failing to acknowledge the administration’s performance.

“That’s something, it’s just that the opposition wants to take over power,” he said.

Wike added that opposition parties would continue to criticise the administration even if it achieved results, because they wanted to replace it.

“But the way the opposition is going now, it’s a bit of concern to us, who are saying, ‘No, no, no, no, these people are not telling Nigerians the truth,’” he said.

He called on politicians in other parties who believe the opposition is misrepresenting the situation to speak out and offer their own account of events.

“Let those of us who are also in other political parties tell Nigerians, ‘No, this is not truth, this is what is happening, and that what is, you know, going on,’” he said.

Addressing the issue of political loyalties and godfatherism, Wike said people should be willing to acknowledge good work regardless of their party affiliations.

“So, the issue of godson, the issue of whatever you may call it, I don’t, I’m not a, I’m not a party to, to read, but when you see something that will help your country, when you see somebody who is doing good, come out and say it,” he said.

He added: “It doesn’t matter whether you’re in opposition or not.”

Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over its debt management, citing figures showing that the Federal Government spent ₦7.7 trillion on debt interest payments against revenue of ₦6.2 trillion in the first half of 2026.

Obi made the criticism in a statement posted on his X account on Monday, October 12, while reacting to a World Bank report titled Beyond the Federal Purse: How Higher Revenues Reshaped State Priorities.

According to Obi, the Federal Government spent ₦7.7 trillion on debt interest payments between January and June 2026, representing approximately 124.2 per cent of its total revenue of ₦6.2 trillion during the same period.

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He said debt interest payments exceeded the government’s revenue by approximately ₦1.5 trillion, questioning how the country could continue to face a debt crisis despite increased revenue.

“How do you explain the unsustainable debt crisis even with exponential increase in revenue that we have had since 2023?” Obi asked.

The former Anambra State governor also expressed concern over a reported reduction of about ₦700 billion in capital expenditure during the first half of the year.

He argued that the government’s spending priorities showed a significant imbalance between debt servicing and investment in capital projects.

“In comparison, the APC led Federal Government spends about 11 times more on interest payment than on capital projects,” he stated.

Obi attributed the situation to what he described as reckless borrowing, corruption and incompetence within the Tinubu administration.

He argued that increased government revenue should not be celebrated without examining how public funds are spent and whether government spending priorities support economic development.

Obi further maintained that the presentation of improved economic indicators should not distract from the country’s debt burden and the impact of government policies on Nigerians.

He said the administration should recognise that economic progress cannot be measured by increased revenue alone, particularly when the government continues to face substantial debt interest obligations.

The NDC presidential candidate also questioned the government’s presentation of economic performance, arguing that economic statistics should reflect the actual impact of reforms rather than serve as a basis for celebrating improvements that have not translated into better living conditions for citizens.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked a fake announcement circulating online concerning alleged issues affecting the list of governorship candidates in six states ahead of the 2027 elections.

The commission disclosed this in a post on its official X account on Monday, October 12, 2026, warning Nigerians against sharing the fraudulent publication.

INEC said the purported announcement, which claimed that there were issues affecting the governorship candidates’ lists in Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano states, did not originate from the commission.

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“The Commission wishes to categorically inform the general public that the publication is FAKE and did not originate from INEC,” the electoral body stated.

The circulating document is titled “Special Announcement” and also carries the headings “Public Information Notice” and “Important Update.”

It claims that there may be an issue affecting the lists of governorship candidates in the six states and states that a further announcement was expected on Monday.

The document reads: “Reports suggest there may be an issue affecting list of governorship candidates in the following six states,” before listing Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano.

It further states: “A further update is expected regarding the issue and any steps that may be taken to resolve it.”

The purported announcement also advises the public to remain calm while awaiting an official statement from INEC.

“The public is advised to remain calm and await an official statement from INEC,” the document states.

The publication bears the name of Rose Oriaran-Anthony, identified as Secretary of INEC. However, the commission has disowned the document, describing it as fraudulent.

In its clarification, the electoral commission urged members of the public to disregard the publication and avoid circulating it further.

INEC also addressed claims that it had issued a special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the six states.

The commission stated: “The public is advised to rely solely on official notices, press releases, and other information issued through the Commission’s verified communication channels.”

It added that any information suggesting it had issued a special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the affected states was false.

“The Commission further wishes to clarify that any information suggesting that INEC has issued a special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the aforementioned states is false,” the statement said.

The commission urged Nigerians to verify electoral information through its official communication channels before sharing such information online.

INEC said the public should remain vigilant to avoid being misled by false or fraudulent publications concerning the electoral process.

The commission also provided contact details through which members of the public can seek clarification on electoral matters.

According to the notice, Nigerians can contact the INEC Call Centre on 0700-2255-4632 or use the short code 4632.

Other telephone contacts provided are 090844444333 and 09050858629, while enquiries can also be sent to [email protected].

The commission listed its official website as inecnigeria.org and its news portal as inecnews.com.

INEC reiterated its commitment to keeping the public accurately informed and urged Nigerians to obtain election-related information only through its official communication channels.

The clarification comes amid public attention surrounding the publication of final lists of governorship candidates for the 2027 elections, including reports concerning the omission of some candidates from the lists released by the commission.