Nigeria News Today, 5 November 2026 (Evening): Court Voids Atiku ADC Ticket, Akwa Ibom Work-Free Friday, Petrol Up Again
Last updated: 5 November 2026 · By Naijatipsland Editorial Team · Editorial policy
Evening roundup · Thursday 5 November 2026 · By Ade Adeniyi, Founder and Editor
Good evening. The biggest story since this morning’s edition came from a courtroom in Abuja, where a judge threw the main opposition party’s presidential ticket into doubt just 72 days before the 16 January election. We explain the ruling and each side’s response, then round up the rest of Thursday’s news.
Today at a glance
- Court ruling: a Federal High Court in Abuja voided Atiku Abubakar’s nomination as ADC presidential candidate and sacked the David Mark-led leadership. The ADC says it will appeal.
- Campaigns: Vice-President Shettima rallied in Ekiti for President Tinubu, Atiku took his campaign to Kebbi, and Peter Obi’s team and the Cross River government traded claims over Wednesday’s convoy attack.
- Akwa Ibom: Friday is a work-free day for President Tinubu’s visit; police have banned drones and fireworks in Uyo.
- Security: bandits are demanding ₦100 million for 15 abducted Islamiya pupils in Niger State, with new attacks reported in Kaduna and Taraba.
- Fuel and naira: petrol reached about ₦1,370 a litre at some Lagos stations; the naira was quoted near ₦1,346/$ officially.
1. Court voids Atiku’s ADC nomination; party heads to Court of Appeal
What happened: On Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in favour of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC national deputy chairman (North-East), who argued that the caretaker committee led by former Senate President David Mark, with Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, took over the party unlawfully after the resignation of former chairman Ralph Nwosu. The judge set aside that leadership and every action it took, including the May primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate, with Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate. Gombe’s lawyers say this leaves the ADC with no valid candidates at any level, although INEC had already published Atiku’s name.
The responses: The ADC, through its spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi, rejected the ruling, called it politically motivated and said it would appeal and petition the National Judicial Council. It points to an earlier judgment of the same court, delivered on 2 July by Justice Musa Liman, which it says recognised the Mark-led leadership; the party argues a judge of equal rank cannot overturn that. Atiku called the ruling an attempt to weaken his northern support and went ahead with a rally in Kebbi. The ADC blames the ruling APC, but has offered no evidence for that claim, as Premium Times noted. Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala told AFP the APC “is not involved at all” in the case.
Why it matters: Until an appeal court rules or grants a stay, there is legal uncertainty over whether one of the four leading presidential candidates, and thousands of ADC candidates for other seats, will be on the ballot. Our 2027 election hub tracks the timetable.
Source: Daily Trust; Channels Television; AFP via Modern Ghana.
2. Thursday on the campaign trail
APC in Ekiti
Vice-President Kashim Shettima led the APC rally in Ado-Ekiti for President Tinubu. Governor Biodun Oyebanji pledged at least 90% of the state’s vote, and the PDP, SDP and APM candidates from June’s governorship election declared support for Tinubu.
ADC in Kebbi
Hours after the court ruling, Atiku flagged off the ADC campaign in Birnin Kebbi, repeating promises to tackle insecurity and restore a fuel subsidy. Vanguard reported the rally ended peacefully.
NDC: row over the Calabar attack
Peter Obi said his convoy was stoned in Calabar on Wednesday and blamed supporters of the ruling party. On Thursday, the Cross River government denied that APC supporters were responsible, and police said a suspect had been arrested; investigators have not established who the attackers were.
Why it matters: The race is now being fought at rallies and in the courts, and campaign security is a live issue.
Source: Vanguard; The ICIR; Premium Times; New Telegraph.
3. Akwa Ibom declares work-free Friday for Tinubu’s visit
What happened: Governor Umo Eno declared Friday 6 November a work-free day so residents can welcome President Tinubu, who is due to commission projects including a new international terminal at Victor Attah International Airport and the Ring Road III extension, and attend an APC rally. Police Commissioner Baba Azare banned drones and fireworks in Uyo and announced closures on routes including Airport Road and around the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
Why it matters: Anyone in Uyo should expect road closures and shut government offices.
Source: Channels Television; Daily Post.
4. Security: ransom demand in Niger, fresh attacks in Kaduna and Taraba
What happened: The proprietor of an Islamiya school in Rafi LGA, Niger State, says bandits who seized 15 pupils from a farm at the weekend are demanding ₦100 million, and that only local vigilantes have searched for them. The state government says it is deploying “every available resource” with security agencies. In Kaduna’s Kachia LGA, community leaders say gunmen killed two men and abducted about 20 people, mostly women and children, from Akwando on Wednesday. In Taraba, residents of Kalim-Lamido LGA say bandits abducted about 15 people and killed a pregnant woman, a soldier and a hunter. In Kebbi, the army said troops rescued nine kidnap victims.
Why it matters: Rural kidnapping remains the most direct threat to families and farmers in the North, and a central campaign issue.
Source: Leadership via allAfrica; The Point; Blueprint; BusinessDay.
5. Petrol creeps up again; naira holds near ₦1,346
What happened: After Dangote Refinery raised its gantry price to about ₦1,300 a litre on Tuesday, depot prices rose across Lagos, Port Harcourt and Warri. Independent marketers in Lagos were selling at ₦1,365 to ₦1,370, with NNPC and MRS at about ₦1,360. In Port Harcourt, motorists told Tribune they had not felt the federal government’s 30-day NNPC petrol discount, with one NNPC outlet selling at ₦1,383. Reuters quoted the naira at ₦1,346 to the dollar on the official market on Thursday and about ₦1,400 on the street.
Why it matters: Pump prices feed directly into transport fares and food costs. Check today’s rates on our dollar to naira page before sending or changing money.
Source: Legit.ng; Tribune; Reuters.
6. Wike dismisses ASUU strike threat over University of Abuja land
What happened: FCT Minister Nyesom Wike rejected a strike threat by the University of Abuja branch of ASUU, which wants him to reverse allocations of parts of the university’s 11,824-hectare land in Giri District to developers and agencies. Speaking at his monthly media chat, Wike said land administration is the FCT Administration’s responsibility and called the threat blackmail. ASUU says it needs the land for expansion.
Why it matters: A strike would disrupt students’ calendars at one of the capital’s largest universities.
Source: Independent; Naija News.
7. UN: Nigeria accounts for a quarter of global maternal deaths
What happened: UN Women’s country representative, Beatrice Eyong, told a reproductive health conference in Abuja that Nigeria accounts for at least 25% of maternal deaths worldwide, and that a Nigerian woman’s lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy or childbirth is about one in 22. Separately, the Senate is considering an amendment to the National Health Act that would set timelines for emergency treatment and penalise hospitals that turn away emergency patients.
Why it matters: Many of these deaths are preventable with timely care, which is why early antenatal registration matters.
Source: Daily Trust; ThisDay.
What to watch next
- Whether the ADC files its appeal and seeks a stay of the Lifu judgment, and what INEC says about Atiku’s name.
- President Tinubu’s Akwa Ibom visit and rally on Friday.
- The 15 November deadline for the last six states on the state police amendment.
- The Flamingos’ U-17 Women’s World Cup final against Japan on Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
Is Atiku Abubakar out of the 2027 presidential race?
Not finally. A Federal High Court has voided his nomination, but the ADC says it will appeal, and higher courts can overturn or suspend the ruling. His status will depend on the appeal and INEC’s response.
Why is Friday a holiday in Akwa Ibom?
Governor Umo Eno declared a work-free day so residents and civil servants can receive President Tinubu during his one-day visit to commission projects in Uyo.
This roundup summarises reporting by the outlets credited under each story, in our own words. Follow Naijatipsland Updates on WhatsApp for the next edition. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it under our editorial policy.
