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Trump Floors Biden In Historic, Fiery Presidential Debate

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In a fiery presidential debate, marked by personal insults a stuttering Joe Biden on Thursday did little to douse concerns over his being too old for a second term in the White House in the race with Donald Trump.

According to AFP, a bombastic Trump lashed out at his successor, calling him a failure on the economy and the world stage.

The ferocious attach by Trump seemed to spur Biden, who attempted to hit back, but his delivery turned faltering as he spoke rapidly in a raspy, trailing-off voice, stumbled on his words and stared open-mouthed.

Political watchers term his performance on the day as triggering fresh concerns within his Democratic Party as polls show Trump is tied or ahead for the November election, even after the POTUS spent the week secluded in preparation.

In the historic first debate between a president and former president both accused each other of being history’s worst.

Recall that both Trump and Biden had gone into the history books as the oldest president when first elected, stooped to accuse each other of being childlike as they argued over their golf swings.

In another twist, Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, could not hide their personal animosity, as they did not shake hands as they walked to their podiums at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta.

This would have informed the organisers taking precaution by having no live audience and muting their microphones as the other spoke.

It was reported that Biden had a cold before the debate, but this did not prevent him from hitting Trump with what sounded as rehearsed lines with which Biden sought to remind millions of television viewers that Trump would be the first convicted felon in the White House.

Biden said, “You have the morals of an alley cat.”

However, an unruffled Trump, a veteran of rallies and reality television, spoke loudly as he ran through a long list of complaints about Biden’s record.

“I’m friends with a lot of people. They cannot believe what happened to the United States of America. We’re no longer respected,” Trump said.

In what appeared like Trump’s effort to seize on Biden’s delivery, he said, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.”

 

‘Slow start’

Vice President Kamala Harris went into damage-control mode.

In a live interview on CNN, Harris said Biden’s record was “extraordinarily strong” but acknowledged concerns about his debate.

“Yes, there was a slow start, but it was a strong finish,” Harris said.

Kate Bedingfield, a former Biden communications director, said on CNN that “it was a really disappointing” evening for the president.

“I don’t think there is any other way to slice it,” she said.

A CNN poll found 67 percent of debate watchers thought Trump had won the event.

Democrats are set formally to name Biden as their candidate in August in Chicago, with little way to change course unless the president himself withdraws.

Biden has sought to counter attacks by Trump who say he is not vigorous enough for the job.

However, AFP cites Julian Zelizer, a historian at Princeton University, voicing that Biden’s supporters would be “extremely concerned.”

“Biden fueled the basic perception that has continued to overshadow him,” he said.

At a watch party in San Francisco, Hazel Reitz said she would still vote for Biden but added, “I can’t understand a word that he says. Isn’t it sad?”

 

Personal attacks

Neither candidate laid out new policies, with most of the exchanges consisting of attacks on the other’s record.

In one of the most personal moments, Biden cited accounts that Trump had described soldiers who died in the Normandy landing as “suckers” and noted his own son Beau, who served in Iraq and later died of cancer.

“My son was not a loser, was not a sucker. You’re the sucker. You’re the loser,” Biden said.

Trump denied the remarks and repeatedly accused Biden of not being coherent.

On foreign policy, Trump accused Biden — who faces a backlash from parts of his Democratic base over his support for Israel — of not helping Israel “finish the job” against Hamas.

“He doesn’t want to do it. He’s become like a Palestinian — but they don’t like him because he’s a very bad Palestinian, he’s a weak one,” Trump said.

Trump described Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan as the “most embarrassing moment in the history of our country” and said it encouraged Russia to invade Ukraine.

Biden, however, noted that he was the first recent president who has not had soldiers at risk overseas.

Trump and Biden also locked horns over abortion and immigration, key issues for their respective bases.

Biden, attacking Trump for appointing justices to the Supreme Court who ended Roe vs. Wade, the decision that allowed abortion rights around the country, said, “It’s been a terrible thing, what you’ve done.”

One candidate not on the stage was anti-establishment activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who failed to meet CNN’s threshold of reaching 15 percent in four national polls.

Kennedy instead spent the 90 minutes taking questions on a livestream, AFP reported.

NEWS

Ekiti Attack: Sowore Tracks Stolen Phones Near Governor’s Office, Demands CCTV Footage

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The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has disclosed that two mobile phones allegedly stolen from members of his team during Friday’s attack in Ado-Ekiti have been traced to locations near the Ekiti State Governor’s Office and Fajuyi Park.

Sowore made the disclosure in a post on X on Sunday, November 1, 2026, while renewing his demand for the release of CCTV footage from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where he and members of his team were attacked on October 30.

According to him, one of the stolen devices was traced to a location directly opposite the office of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, while another was located opposite Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti.

RELATED NEWS: Ekiti Attack: Sowore Demands CCTV Release, Questions Gov’t Ties to Gang Leader

Describing the discoveries as disturbing, Sowore questioned why the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) had yet to release the CCTV footage allegedly seized from the restaurant.

“This morning, we tracked two of the devices violently robbed from members of our team during the brutal attack in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, October 30, 2026, and the locations are deeply disturbing,” he wrote.

“One phone was traced to a location directly opposite the office of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, while our other devices were located opposite Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti,” he added.

The activist subsequently renewed his demand for the release of the surveillance footage, insisting that the recordings from the restaurant should be made public.

“Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS have yet to release the CCTV footage seized from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where we were attacked.

“RELEASE THE CCTV FOOTAGE NOW!” he demanded.

The latest disclosure follows an attack on Sowore and members of his entourage at Tawakalitu Restaurant in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, shortly after the activist participated in a radio interview in the state.

Sowore had alleged that armed men attacked his team, assaulted some members and dispossessed them of their personal belongings, including mobile phones.

The incident generated controversy after the Ekiti State Police Command initially described it as an altercation involving Sowore and some individuals, while the activist maintained that his team was violently attacked.

The police subsequently announced the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the incident.

According to the police, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad arrested the suspects at their hideouts in the Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti at about 10 p.m. on October 30.

Items reportedly recovered during the operation included 13 mobile phones, two walkie-talkies, seven ATM cards, eight international passports, vehicle keys and other belongings.

The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the roles of the suspects and determine their possible involvement in the incident.

Sowore’s latest disclosure has renewed calls for the release of the restaurant’s CCTV footage, which he believes could provide further evidence about the circumstances surrounding the attack.

 

 

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NAF Tests 816 Recruits’ Combat Readiness in Kaduna Bush Camp Exercise

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Insecurity: NAF Restrategises with New Appointments, Deployments

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has tested the physical endurance, tactical awareness and military preparedness of 816 newly recruited personnel during an intensive six-day bush camp exercise in Kaduna.

The exercise, codenamed Exercise MUN FARA, was conducted from October 12 to 17, 2026, at the NAF Base Kaduna for trainees of Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 46/2025.

The training featured demanding military activities, including day and night navigation, patrols, ambushes, attack drills and tent pitching, designed to prepare the recruits for operations under challenging field conditions.

SEE ALSO: Atiku Mourns 25 Killed in NAF Aircraft Crash in Ondo

The exercise culminated in a gruelling 20-kilometre cross-country competition, with Alpha-Jet Squadron emerging overall winner after completing the race in two hours, 33 minutes and seven seconds.

Recruit Mohammed U of MI-35 Squadron finished first in the male category, while Recruit Salihu SO of ATR-42 Squadron emerged winner in the female category.

Commending the recruits for their resilience, discipline and team spirit, the MTC Commandant, Air Commodore AO Akins, said the exercise provided an opportunity to assess their practical application of essential military skills.

He noted that the training tested their knowledge and abilities in fieldcraft, weapon handling and map reading, alongside their capacity to work effectively as a team.

The Air Force said the exercise formed part of its progressive training programme aimed at developing disciplined, confident and mission-ready personnel.

The recruits are expected to proceed to their final bush camp training before completing their military training and commencing service in the Nigerian Air Force.

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Ekiti Attack: Sowore Demands CCTV Release, Questions Gov’t Ties to Gang Leader

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Arrest Buhari Too, Sowore Reacts To Emefiele's Arrest

Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the release of CCTV footage showing the attack on him and members of his team in Ado-Ekiti, while questioning the alleged relationship between the Ekiti State Government and a suspected gang leader.

Sowore made the demands in a post on X on Sunday, November 1, 2026, while responding to the Ekiti State Government’s October 31 press release on the October 30 attack.

SEE ALSO: Atiku Raises Alarm Over Attacks on Sowore, ADC Governorship Candidate, Accuses APC of Intimidation

He also challenged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to explain an alleged warning issued by his Chief Security Officer, CSP Ayodele Akinlua, hours before the incident.

According to Sowore, Akinlua contacted a member of his team, Moyinoluwa Olowoyo, popularly known as Gigabytes, at approximately 7:30 a.m. on the day of the attack and warned that his safety could not be guaranteed if he proceeded with political activities in the state.

Sowore alleged that more than 100 armed thugs subsequently attacked him and members of his team in broad daylight, leaving several people injured and robbed.

Questioning the circumstances surrounding the warning, he asked:

“Why was the Governor’s Chief Security Officer warning that my safety could not be guaranteed hours before armed thugs descended on us? Who authorized that call? What did the Governor know, and when did he know it?”

The AAC presidential candidate accused the state government of failing to address the circumstances surrounding the attack, arguing that its response focused on questioning his motives rather than condemning the violence.

He also faulted the government’s description of the incident as an ordinary altercation, insisting that the attack involved armed political thugs.

Sowore further questioned the alleged relationship between the Ekiti State Government and Sola Adenijo, popularly known as Solar, whom he identified as the leader of the gang that attacked him and his team.

He alleged that Adenijo was on the state government’s payroll and challenged Governor Oyebanji to disclose whether the individual received payments, contracts, appointments, stipends or other financial benefits from the government, directly or indirectly.

“We challenge Governor Oyebanji and his government to publicly disclose whether Sola Adenijo receives payments, contracts, appointments, stipends, or any other financial benefits from the state government, directly or indirectly,” he stated.

Sowore maintained that a general denial of involvement by the government was insufficient without addressing the specific allegations.

He also demanded the immediate preservation, recovery and public release of CCTV recordings from the restaurant where the incident occurred and surrounding premises.

The activist urged the relevant authorities to secure the complete recordings, preserve the original files and release the footage without alteration, while protecting innocent bystanders.

“Let Nigerians see what happened. Let the footage establish whether this was the so-called ‘altercation’ being promoted by the Police and the State Government or a coordinated attack by armed political thugs,” he said.

Sowore further alleged that security operatives had attempted to remove CCTV recordings and demanded an explanation regarding who took possession of the footage, where it was being kept and why it had not been made public.

He also questioned the activities of security agencies before the attack, alleging that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives had disrupted his political meeting at a restaurant.

According to him, members of his team and security personnel attached to them were assaulted, with some security personnel allegedly disarmed during the incident.

Sowore also referenced a statement by MKD Araoye, lead organiser of the Ikogosi Marathon, announcing a ban on his participation in the event. He alleged that the development further raised questions about possible official involvement in the incident.

The AAC presidential candidate called for an independent and transparent investigation into the roles of the attackers, their alleged sponsors, the governor’s security personnel, the DSS and any police or DSS officers implicated in the incident.

He maintained that the investigation should examine eyewitness accounts, communication records, financial records and CCTV footage.

“The Ekiti State Government cannot investigate itself through press releases, insult the victims into silence, or manufacture an alternative account of an attack that left people injured,” he said.

Sowore insisted that the incident would not deter him from exercising his constitutional rights or participating in political activities.

He also challenged Governor Oyebanji to release the CCTV footage, explain the alleged warning from his Chief Security Officer and disclose the government’s relationship, if any, with Adenijo.

 

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