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Gubernatorial Election: Anambra Decides Tomorrow Amid Tension, Heavy Security.
Anambra State goes to the polls tomorrow to elect a new governor, but the atmosphere remains charged with tension, uncertainty, and anxiety over security, possible vote buying, and the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a credible exercise.
Much of the apprehension surrounds the new INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, who faces his first major national test since assuming office.
Stakeholders and observers are closely watching whether he can outperform his predecessor, Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure was marred by controversies involving the late delivery of materials, BVAS malfunction, logistics breakdowns, and delayed result uploads during the 2023 general elections.
Naija News reports that Amupitan has promised transparency, timely deployment, and renewed discipline in election management.
However, his credibility hinges on how efficiently INEC handles logistics, ensures neutrality, manages security agencies, and curbs widespread vote buying.
Tomorrow’s governorship poll, they say, will reveal whether INEC has made real improvements or remains trapped in entrenched inefficiencies.
2.8 Million Voters, 16 Candidates, Massive Security Presence
Sixteen candidates from various political parties will vie for the top seat, with 2.8 million registered voters expected to participate across 5,720 polling units.
To forestall violence, no fewer than 60,000 security operatives have been deployed. These include personnel from the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Civil Defence.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of election operations, Abayomi Shogunle, confirmed that the police alone deployed 45,000 officers, along with drones, helicopters, tactical teams, and intelligence units.
Shogunle said the deployment should not be interpreted as intimidation.
The increase in security personnel is not to intimidate eligible voters but to ensure effective operations and safety at every polling unit.
“We assure the people of Anambra that the election will be free, fair, transparent and devoid of intimidation,” he stated.
The decision to bar the state-owned security outfit, Agunechemba, from participating in the exercise has generated mixed reactions.
Opposition parties accuse the state government of previously using the outfit to intimidate voters and influence outcomes, especially in rerun elections for the Anambra South Senatorial and Onitsha State Constituency seats, both won by APGA.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has warned security agencies against turning the state into a militarized zone.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and two human rights lawyers, Joy Igboeli and Chidimma Udegbunam, the group condemned what it termed “threats of fire and brimstone,” cautioning that such a posture may discourage voter turnout.
According to the organisation, the deployment of armoured tanks, explosives, and heavily armed personnel often creates a war-like environment.
The group said, “Security forces have often made voting environments hostile for vulnerable voters through militarisation and weaponization of civic spaces. These so-called shows of force frighten voters and undermine democratic participation.”
Intersociety urged the police and military to adopt intelligence-driven, discreet, and non-intimidating operations to restore public confidence.
The rights group also expressed deep concern over the continuing decline in voter turnout in Anambra elections:
46% in 1999
25% in 2013
21% in 2017
10.5% in 2021
With 2.82 million registered voters and 2.5 million PVC holders for tomorrow’s exercise, the group warned that another low turnout could further weaken electoral legitimacy.
News
BREAKING: KWAM 1 Writes Ogun Govt, Accuses Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Plot to Exclude Him From Awujale Selection
Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, widely known as KWAM1, has written to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, alleging that he is being deliberately sidelined from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
Ayinde, in a petition dated January 8, 2026, accused the Fusengbuwa ruling house next in line to produce the monarch of taking actions that allegedly violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State. He claimed the moves were designed to disenfranchise him from contesting for the revered throne.
The letter, written on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN, was addressed to Governor Abiodun and outlined what the Fuji star described as procedural irregularities in the selection process.
According to the petition, the contest for the Awujale stool has attracted over 60 aspirants, with Ayinde formally declaring his interest. However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that KWAM1 is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore ineligible to participate in the exercise.
Before writing to the governor, Ayinde had approached the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to restrain Governor Abiodun and six others from continuing with the selection process. The court, however, dismissed the application, ruling that it lacked merit. The musician later withdrew the suit without publicly stating his reasons.
In his latest letter, Ayinde disclosed that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, via a letter dated January 6, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Oke Adebanjo, had approved the commencement of the selection process by the ruling house.
He expressed surprise that while members of the Fusengbuwa family were preparing for a general meeting, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, allegedly issued a notice directing aspirants to collect nomination forms and appear before a screening committee.
The screening committee, according to Ayinde, is chaired by Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga. He further alleged that the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, while also stating that the process would be conducted by delegates to be selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.
Ayinde argued that the sequence of events was confusing, contradictory, and contrary to established laws guiding traditional chieftaincy matters in Ogun State.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ogun State Government nor the Fusengbuwa ruling house had officially responded to the allegations.
Lagos Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the Awujale succession process and provide updates as the story unfolds.
News
“Do Not Test Trump’s Resolve”: US Issues Fresh Threat To Nigeria
A United States Congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore, has warned Nigeria not to take the resolve of President Donald Trump with levity, adding that the US president remained steadfast in his bid to protect Christians in Nigeria, while reiterating the false allegation that Christians have continued to face prosecution in the West African country.
Moore’s warning came days after the US president issued another military action in Nigeria, adding that he would not be carrying out a single operation in Nigeria if the alleged Christian persecution continues in the country.
The threat came days after the United States launched a military strike in Sokoto, targeting some terrorist hideouts in the country. The strike affected other states such as Niger and Kwara.
However, Trump, in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, January 8, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day, said: “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike,” Trump said.
Moore took to social media to reiterate Trump’s second threat to the country and warned Nigeria against overlooking the threat. His warning did not sit well with many Nigerians, who took to the comment section of the post and expressed their views about his claim. Below are some of their comments:
Omolayo accused the US of bombing a Christian country, Venezuela, and stealing its oil: “What about Venezuela, which is 80% Christian? Trump doesn’t care about Christians, but I grudgingly welcome his presence in the northern part of Nigeria.”
Umar Yusuf Dayyabu knocked the US: “The same US that just finished bombing a Christian country (Venezuela) and is currently stealing their oil is now claiming to want to save Christians in Nigeria. The US only wants our natural resources, that’s it.”
Amadu Yahuza accused the Trump administration of imperialism: “Let’s be clear: if the U.S. is claiming to defend Christians in Nigeria but simultaneously tightens visa access for Nigerians broadly, including Christians, that is not solidarity, it’s hypocrisy. Trump’s statements about Nigerian Christians are political branding, while visa restrictions, federal actions, and international messaging are geopolitical moves.”
Garvy accused the lawmaker of turning a blind eye to the killing of Christians in the US: “I guess you were blind to Christians murdered right in front of your nose in Salt Lake City, and you were blind to that. Suppose their lives don’t matter, right?”
You can read more reactions on X here:
President Trump is serious about his steadfast support to protecting our brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to face persecution in Nigeria.
Do not test @POTUS' resolve. https://t.co/vd8t0LXdKc
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) January 9, 2026
News
Buhari’s Ex-Minister Pantami Breaks Silence Over Alleged Wedding Plan With Aisha Buhari
False claims linking former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, with former First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, have been dismissed after an independent verification found the story to be entirely fabricated.
The rumour, which spread rapidly across Facebook and X, alleged that the two were planning a marriage and circulated alongside an image described online as a pre wedding photograph.
The post gained wide traction after several users pointed to Aisha Buhari’s completion of her Islamic mourning period following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2025.
Public figures also reshared the image, drawing thousands of comments and reactions and fuelling speculation among social media users.
A fact check carried out by PRNigeria found no credible evidence supporting the claim. Reviews of the verified social media accounts of both Pantami and Aisha Buhari showed no statements or references linked to any marriage plan. Searches across reputable news platforms also returned no matching reports.
Further forensic analysis subjected the viral photograph to InVid verification and artificial intelligence detection tools. The assessment confirmed that the image was digitally manipulated and generated through artificial means, with faces inserted into a wedding-themed template.
Pantami addressed the allegation directly in a phone conversation with PRNigeria.
“It is shocking that anyone would fabricate such a rumour. President Buhari is a father figure to us, and we regard his widow as a mother. The claim is baseless and impossible,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to the late president, also rejected the story on his Facebook page in Hausa.
“The story being circulated that Hajiya Aisha Buhari has agreed to marry Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami is an outright lie. There is absolutely no truth in it whatsoever,” Ahmad wrote.
Additional context emerged from a recently released biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole and launched at the State House in December 2025. The book records Aisha Buhari as stating clearly that she has no intention of remarrying, citing family responsibilities and a desire for a quieter public life.
The former president died in London on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82. He married Aisha Buhari in 1989 and is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. Speculation around her personal life increased online after she completed the traditional mourning period in November 2025.
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