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Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he will concede defeat in the 2027 presidential election if the poll is free, fair and credible.

Obi made the declaration during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, insisting that he would respect the choice of Nigerians if they opted for another candidate.

“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.

However, the former Anambra State governor maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, insisting that those who conducted the poll were aware of what transpired.

“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” Obi said.

‘Presidency Must Not Be About Tribe, Religion’

Addressing the argument that Nigeria’s presidency should operate on a “turn-by-turn” basis among regions, Obi said electoral choices should be based on competence rather than ethnicity or religion.

He argued that he possesses the qualifications and experience required to lead the country, adding that his exposure to institutions and systems around the world had prepared him for the presidency.

“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence,” he said.

Obi also highlighted his educational background, citing studies at institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Kellogg.

He challenged anyone with evidence questioning the authenticity of his qualifications to come forward, saying he would withdraw from the presidential race if any of his certificates were proven to be false.

“If they find anyone wrong, I will drop from the race,” he said.

Obi Questions Lack of Youth Representation

The NDC candidate also criticised what he described as the prolonged absence of younger Nigerians from the presidency since independence.

According to Obi, no Nigerian born after 1960 has served as president despite the country’s large youthful population.

“Since 1960, nobody born outside 1960 has been president of Nigeria. This is 66 years of independence; no other country in the world has had this happen to, and they tell youths they’re the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.

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The Kano State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of popular political commentator, Ibrahim Khalil Danshagamu, who was reportedly attacked at his residence in Gaida Quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest came amid growing public outrage over the killing, with political figures, rights groups and other stakeholders demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

The police said the suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-driven operation as detectives intensified efforts to identify everyone linked to the attack.

The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori.

According to the statement, the incident occurred at about 11:30pm on Monday when the command received a distress call from the commander of the Gaida Vigilante Group.

The vigilante commander reportedly alerted the police that unidentified assailants had forcibly entered Danshagamu’s residence and attacked him with sharp objects.

Operatives of the Kumbotso Police Division immediately responded to the scene and rushed the victim to Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital, Kano.

He was, however, pronounced dead on arrival by a medical doctor, according to the police.

Outrage Over Killing

The death has triggered widespread condemnation, particularly among political and civil society circles, with calls for the perpetrators to be identified and prosecuted.

Former Kano State governor and opposition politician, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, said Danshagamu was found in a pool of blood at his residence.

Kwankwaso, in a post on X on Wednesday, described the incident as a “horrific attack” and called on the Kano State Government to establish an investigative panel to uncover the circumstances surrounding the killing and ensure that those responsible face justice.

Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned the killing and urged authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation.

The rights organisation stressed that dissent, criticism and freedom of expression are fundamental elements of a democratic society.

“In a democracy, outspoken persons or critics are accommodated, listened to, not killed,” the organisation said.

The Kano State Chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Husaini Mai Riga, also described the killing as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable.”

He said the incident raised serious concerns about public safety, press freedom and the protection of democratic values in the state.

Police Probe Intensifies

The police said the arrest of the two suspects followed an intelligence-led operation carried out by the Kumbotso Divisional Police Officer in collaboration with tactical units of the command, community stakeholders and other relevant security personnel.

The suspects are currently in police custody and are being interrogated as investigators work to establish their alleged roles in the crime.

“The suspects are currently in custody undergoing interrogation. The Command has intensified efforts to apprehend any other persons who may be connected to the crime,” the police statement said.

Investigators are also taking statements from relevant individuals, while forensic procedures are being conducted to establish the circumstances of the attack and determine its possible motive.

The police have not disclosed the identities of the suspects or provided details of the evidence linking them to the killing.

Security Measures Tightened

Commissioner Bakori expressed concern over the incident and sympathised with the family of the deceased.

He assured residents that the command would pursue the investigation and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

“The Kano State Police Command will not relent in its mandate to protect lives and property. We assure the good people of Kano that justice will be purs

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The Federal Government has announced October 1, 2026, as the take-off date for its free educational data initiative, with about five million Nigerian students expected to receive daily data access to approved learning platforms.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the official launch of the Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content initiative, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Under the programme, eligible students will receive 100 megabytes of free data every day to access approved educational websites, platforms and digital learning resources without paying for the data used.

“Let me let out the secret. This will be made available to Nigerian students from October 1, 2026,” Alausa said.

The minister described the initiative as a major step towards removing one of the biggest barriers to digital education, particularly for students from low-income families and communities with limited access to learning resources.

According to him, the programme is designed to move digital education from policy discussions to practical implementation by ensuring that students can access knowledge regardless of their location or financial circumstances.

Alausa said digital transformation remained a major pillar of the Federal Ministry of Education’s Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, stressing that Nigeria could not build a modern education system with outdated tools.

He disclosed that more than 240,000 schools had been geomapped and geolocated, while the digitised Nigeria Education Management Information System was providing government with data on enrolment, teachers, classrooms, laboratories, libraries and internet connectivity.

The minister also highlighted the planned Learner Identification Number (LIN), which will give every Nigerian learner a unique education identity and allow the government to track their educational journey from primary school through tertiary education.

However, he noted that such digital reforms would have limited impact if students could not afford the internet data required to use online educational resources.

“By enabling learners to access approved educational platforms and content without bearing the cost of data, we are removing one of the most significant barriers to digital learning in Nigeria,” he said.

The initiative will initially target senior secondary and tertiary students, with plans to expand the scheme to other categories of learners.

Alausa stressed that the zero-rating would apply only to credible, secure educational platforms and content aligned with Nigeria’s national curriculum.

He also urged stakeholders to assess the programme based on its impact on learning rather than simply measuring the amount of data consumed.

“We must track utilisation. We must understand who is accessing these platforms and who is not, and we must measure the quality of engagement,” he said.

The minister said the scale of the intervention would be significant, noting that 100MB daily for five million students would translate to approximately 15 billion megabytes of data every month.

He estimated the annual value of the data provided to students at about ₦180 billion.

Alausa called on development partners and other stakeholders to view the initiative as a major additional investment in Nigeria’s education sector.

He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that neither poverty nor geographical location determined a child’s access to quality education.

“Let us build a Nigeria where geography does not determine educational opportunity. Let us build a Nigeria where poverty does not prevent a child from accessing knowledge,” he said.

NCC: Initiative Goes Beyond Internet Access

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the programme was not simply about providing internet connectivity but about using connectivity to expand access to knowledge and create oppo