By Abubakar Yaro, KEBBI

Ahead of 2027 election,Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the electorate in Kebbi State and Nigerians across the country to turn out in large numbers during the general elections and ensure that their votes are protected throughout the electoral process.

Atiku made the declaration on Thursday while addressing party supporters at the ADC presidential campaign rally in Birnin Kebbi, where he urged voters to mobilise their families, friends and associates to participate actively in the forthcoming elections.

He stressed that voting should not end with casting ballots at polling units, urging supporters to remain vigilant and follow the electoral process through the various collation stages.

“I urge you to go out and vote for ADC. Mobilise your loved ones and families to cast their votes, protect them and escort them to the unit, ward, local government and state collation centres,” he said.

The former Vice-President declared that the 2027 elections presented an opportunity for Nigerians to make decisions about their future, adding that protecting their votes was essential to safeguarding their democratic rights.

“It is time to protect your votes and your future,” he said.

Atiku also outlined some of the policy priorities of the ADC, saying the party would focus on addressing insecurity, economic hardship, poverty and hunger if elected into power.

He said an ADC-led government would work towards restoring peace, particularly to enable farmers to return to their farms, while also promising to reinstate fuel subsidy and reopen the country’s land borders.

“If you truly want peace for farmers to return to the farms, subsidy to be returned, borders to be opened, and poverty and hunger to be tackled, just vote for ADC in the forthcoming 2027 general elections,” Atiku said.

His remarks come amid preparations by political parties for the 2027 general elections, with economic hardship, insecurity, agricultural productivity and the cost of living expected to feature prominently in political debates. End.

By Our Correspondent

Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Imam Murtadha Gusau, has said the reported defeat of Donald Trump’s Republican Party in the United States midterm elections should serve as a lesson to every arrogant politician.

In his Thursday lecture, titled “Let The Donald Trump’s Republican Party Defeat Be A Lesson To Any Arrogant Politician,” Gusau said power belongs entirely to Allah, who elevates whom He wills and humbles whom He wills.

Quoting Qur’an 3:26, he said: “Say, ‘O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honour whom You will and You humble whom You will.”

Gusau described the November 3, 2026 midterms as a historic landslide, claiming a massive “blue wave” delivered control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to the Democratic Party and turned Trump into a lame duck.

He cited reported upsets including Democrat James Talarico defeating Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, a seat Democrats had not won since 1988, and Democratic flips in South Carolina, Iowa and Kansas.
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He also listed the reported ousting of longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine by Democrat Troy Jackson and Democrat Chris Pappas defeating former Republican Senator John Sununu in New Hampshire.

According to the cleric, Trump himself conceded that the US-Israel war against Iran, which drove up consumer prices, alienated voters, while exit polls showed voters treated the election as a referendum on Trump’s polarising presidency, the economy and democracy.

He said Trump also blamed weak endorsed candidates, admitting voters simply “didn’t like the candidates” he put forward.

Gusau argued that the defeat was not merely political news but a spiritual reality, warning that leaders who build legacies on arrogance, division, mockery and pride eventually fall.

He quoted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down upon people,” and recalled Pharaoh, Qarun and Namrud, who fell not for lack of wealth or armies but because they forgot they were mere mortals.

“Power is a temporary loan, not a permanent possession. Today you are on the throne; tomorrow you are a cautionary tale,” he said, urging leaders to embrace humility and justice.

Turning to voters, Gusau said a voter’s card is not mere plastic but a sacred trust, amanah, and a testimony, shahadah, before Allah, warning against selling votes for worldly gain or voting out of tribalism for an oppressor.

He warned that withholding a vote when righteous leaders are needed amounts to concealing testimony, quoting Qur’an 2:283, and cited the ant in the story of Prophet Sulaiman who spoke up to save its nation despite its smallness.

The Imam concluded by listing what he described as historic victories by Muslim candidates in the 2026 US elections, including Abdul El-Sayed as the first Muslim elected to the US Senate from Michigan, alongside Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Andre Carson and others at federal and state levels.

By George Mgbeleke
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the completion of nine out of the 14 key activities contained in its revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, as it seeks enhanced technical cooperation with the United Kingdom to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Peter Vowles, and his delegation to the commission on Wednesday.

Amupitan said the commission had moved beyond the planning stage and was now implementing critical operational activities to ensure adequate preparations for the 2027 polls.

He explained that INEC was intensifying efforts to strengthen the national register of voters through continuous voter registration, data verification, transfer of voters and the removal of ineligible entries.

The chairman also disclosed that the nationwide collection and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were ongoing as part of measures to ensure eligible Nigerians could exercise their franchise during the elections.

According to him, political parties had also completed the submission of their candidates for the 2027 general elections in compliance with the Electoral Act and relevant statutory deadlines.

He further noted that preparations were progressing across the six geopolitical zones, with the commission focused on ensuring effective coordination and operational readiness ahead of the polls.

On electoral technology, Amupitan said INEC was prioritising improvements to the reliability and efficiency of its existing technological infrastructure, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of election results.

He stressed that the commission was more interested in strengthening existing systems than introducing an entirely new technological framework ahead of the elections.

The INEC chairman identified cybersecurity, specialised training for electoral personnel, strategic communication, voter education and combating misinformation as critical areas where the commission would benefit from additional technical support from the United Kingdom.

He also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration with security agencies to guarantee the safety of electoral officials, facilities and sensitive election materials throughout the electoral process.

Addressing concerns over voter apathy, particularly among young people, women and persons with disabilities, Amupitan said the commission was pursuing initiatives aimed at promoting broader participation and strengthening public confidence in the democratic process.

He specifically highlighted a university debate initiative being implemented across the country’s six geopolitical zones as part of efforts to stimulate political awareness among young Nigerians and encourage their involvement in democratic governance.

Earlier, the British High Commissioner, Peter Vowles, said his visit was aimed at gaining a better understanding of INEC’s mandate, responsibilities and level of preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

Vowles, who disclosed that he had spent approximately eight weeks in Nigeria, described the country’s democratic development as significant not only to its estimated 240 million citizens but also to the wider West African region and the international community.

He noted that the 2027 general elections would offer Nigeria an important opportunity to demonstrate how democratic institutions could function effectively in a large and diverse society.

The British envoy reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic development, expressing interesthis response, Amupitan described the relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom as one founded on shared interests and a common commitment to democracy, electoral integrity and institutional development.