News October 11, 2026 Pantami breaks silence over INEC’s omission of his name from Gombe governorship list

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has urged his supporters to remain calm following the omission of his name from the list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said his legal and liaison teams were engaging relevant party officials and INEC to resolve the matter within the period permitted by law.

The assurance was contained in a statement issued on his behalf by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe and shared on his verified Facebook page on Saturday.

The development followed INEC’s publication of the list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, which did not include Pantami’s name despite his emergence from a fresh PDP primary election held on September 29, 2026.

According to the statement, the fresh primary was conducted pursuant to an order of the Federal High Court.

“Our attention has been drawn to the non-publication of the name of our candidate from the fresh primary election of 29th September, 2026, as ordered by the Federal High Court, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), CON, PhD, FCIIS, FBCS, FNCS, in the list released by INEC,” the statement said.

The statement acknowledged concerns among PDP members and supporters of the Pantamiyya Movement over the development but appealed to them not to lose hope.

“We wish to assure all our supporters to remain calm, steadfast, and hopeful. This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah,” it added.

The former minister expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved through the appropriate legal and administrative channels, saying his team was working to ensure compliance with the court order.

The statement also alleged that some individuals were working behind the scenes to frustrate the emergence of what it described as responsible leadership in the state. However, it did not identify those allegedly involved.

Pantami’s camp urged supporters to sustain their mobilisation efforts and remain committed to the party’s political activities despite the development.

“We urge our supporters to continue their mobilisation and to remain focused on our collective ideology of service to humanity. The PDP and Pantamiyya Movement remain strong, united, and committed to the rescue and emancipation of our people,” the statement said.

It added that the omission would not distract the movement from its objectives, expressing hope that the matter would be resolved.

News October 11, 2026 Trump weighs military action as world leaders flay deadly Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s airport

The United States, United Nations and several countries have condemned a deadly attack blamed on Yemen’s Houthi rebels at Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which reportedly killed at least 12 people and injured 300 others.

US President Donald Trump described the incident as “terrible” and said Washington was considering whether to join Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against the Iran-backed group.

Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said the victims of Saturday’s attack included four Saudis, two Bangladeshi nationals and citizens of the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt.

The incident, which was the deadliest attack in the kingdom in more than a decade, marked the third assault on the Riyadh airport within a week.

The attack comes amid an intensification of the conflict in Yemen, where Houthi fighters are battling forces aligned with the internationally recognised government.

Saudi Arabia has been conducting air operations against the rebels in support of the Yemeni government’s military campaign to regain control of the country.

Reacting to the incident, Trump said he would soon speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, about the situation.

“We may. We’re gonna look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We’ll move very quickly,” he said, indicating that the US could consider joining the military campaign against the Houthis.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attack, saying an American citizen was among those killed.

Rubio called for an end to “these reprehensible attacks”.

“We stand with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people and extend our condolences to the victims and their families,” he wrote on X.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed shock over the incident and condemned the attack on the Saudi capital’s airport.

In a statement posted on X, Guterres said he was “deeply shocked” by “Saturday’s lethal attack by the Houthis on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh”.

He stressed that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violated international law and “must cease immediately”.

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, also warned that the strikes on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia represented “a grave escalation”.

“Such actions pose a serious threat to regional security, perpetuate cycles of violence and complicate even more peace efforts for Yemen,” he said in a statement.

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “strong condemnation” of the attacks, describing them as a “flagrant violation” of international law and criticising the “disregard” for the safety of citizens.

Qatar also condemned the incident, describing the attacks as a “serious violation of Saudi sovereignty and a direct threat to the security of the region, the safety of civilians, civil facilities and air navigation”.

The Qatari government expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and backed “all legitimate measures” the kingdom “takes to preserve its sovereignty, security and safety of its territories”.

Pakistan denounced the attack as a “heinous act of terrorism” and a “grave threat to regional peace and security”.

The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Islamabad, which recently activated a mutual defence pact with Riyadh amid the attacks, “stands in unwavering solidarity” with Saudi Arabia.

Jordan’s King Abdullah also conveyed his condolences to Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while reaffirming his country’s support for the kingdom.

Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the “brutal aggression” by the Houthis, describing it as a “dangerous escalation” and a “blatant breach of international law”.

Oman called for restraint, emphasising the “necessity of prioritising the voice of wisdom and self-restraint, and avoiding actions that would expand the scope of escalation, in order to preserve the security and stability of the region”.

Palestine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs similarly declared “its full solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and supported “all measures taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents”.

Japan’s embassy in Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the repeated Houthi attacks, insisting that assaults on civilians “cannot be tolerated” under any circumstances.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the attacks, particularly the strike on King Khalid International Airport, as “abhorrent”.

“There can be no justification for attacks on civilian infrastructure,” he wrote on X, adding that Canada “condemns these reckless acts of violence in the strongest possible terms”.

The international condemnations come as the conflict in Yemen continues to escalate, raising concerns about regional security and the prospects for a peaceful resolution.

News October 11, 2026 Guber polls : INEC lists Wike’s ally, Chinda, omits Kwankwaso’s man, Gwarzo, PDP’s Adebutu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections, clearing former House of Representatives Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, for Rivers State while omitting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, in Kano and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ladi Adebutu, in Ogun State.

The lists, signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and published on the commission’s website on Saturday, contain 19 governorship candidates for Rivers, 17 for Kano and 13 for Ogun State.

Chinda, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, appeared as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Rivers State, despite the controversy surrounding his political defection and emergence as the party’s flag bearer.

His inclusion has attracted attention because reports of his defection from the PDP to the APC had not generated significant public attention before his name appeared on the final list.

The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of political parties’ membership records following the Supreme Court’s restoration of Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The provisions bar political parties from presenting candidates whose names are absent from the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated period.

Chinda, listed at number five among the 19 candidates cleared for Rivers State, will now be among those seeking to contest the governorship election in the oil-rich state.

In Kano State, however, Gwarzo – a strong loyalist of NDC vice presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who was expected to represent the party, is conspicuously absent from INEC’s final list.

The commission’s document contains 17 candidates and their running mates from various political parties, but neither Gwarzo nor any candidate representing the NDC appears on the list.

Among those included is Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the APC, alongside Abacha Muhammed Sani of the PDP and candidates from several other political parties.

The other parties represented include the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and New Democratic Party (NDP), among others.

INEC did not provide an explanation for the NDC’s absence from the published document.

Consequently, it remains unclear whether Gwarzo’s omission is connected to the party’s nomination process, membership records, documentation or another issue.

The absence of the NDC candidate raises questions about the party’s participation in the Kano governorship contest, although the published list does not establish the reason for the omission.

A similar development has emerged in Ogun State, where the PDP and its expected candidate, Adebutu, are missing from the list of 13 governorship candidates released by INEC.

Adebutu’s omission comes amid controversy over allegations that his name was absent from the PDP membership register submitted to the electoral commission.

Some groups had questioned his eligibility to contest the election on the grounds of the alleged omission from the register.

The Ogun State chapter of the PDP, however, rejected the allegations, maintaining that Adebutu was a registered member of the party and that it had complied with the legal requirements governing membership registration and submission of its register to INEC.

The commission’s final list did not include Adebutu among the candidates cleared for the February 2027 election.

INEC’s published document contains candidates’ names, political parties, ages, genders and educational qualifications, alongside details of their deputy governorship candidates.

News Politics October 11, 2026 2027: Makinde vows not to spend more than four years as president

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has pledged to spend only four years in office if elected president in the 2027 general election, promising to run an inclusive government that will tackle Nigeria’s major challenges.

Makinde made the commitment on Saturday during an APM town hall meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, where he also promised to address issues such as insecurity and poverty.

“Our government will not last beyond four years. And it will be an all-inclusive government,” Makinde said at the event.

The Oyo State governor’s pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general election, with presidential aspirants outlining their positions and commitments to Nigerians.

His promise is similar to that of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who has also vowed to serve a single four-year term if elected president.

The two candidates’ positions have drawn attention to the debate over Nigeria’s informal power-sharing arrangement between the North and South, which has traditionally influenced the distribution of key political offices.

President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who hails from the South, is seeking re-election in 2027.

News October 11, 2026 UK universities withdraw admission offers to Nigerian students amid visa crackdown

Some universities in the United Kingdom have begun withdrawing admission offers to Nigerian students following tighter visa restrictions imposed by the British government on international applicants.

The affected institutions reportedly revoked offers made largely to Nigerian and Pakistani applicants during the first half of 2026, amid concerns that stricter immigration enforcement could affect their ability to recruit students from overseas.

According to a report by the Financial Times on Saturday, a study found that 10.5 per cent of UK study visa applications were withdrawn during the period, compared with 2.3 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025 and 0.4 per cent in 2023.

“Universities are revoking offers en masse made to international applicants from countries including Nigeria and Pakistan as they fear the UK government’s visa crackdown will result in a ban on their recruiting international students,” the report stated.

The publication reported that the universities’ decisions followed a doubling of study visa refusals by the UK Home Office during the first six months of 2026.

Nigeria recorded a particularly sharp increase in withdrawn applications, with 22.7 per cent of study visa applications from the country withdrawn in the first half of 2026, compared with 4.5 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025.

“While visa applications can be withdrawn for other reasons, universities said the main driver had been an increase in their revoking offers,” it added.

The Financial Times further reported that the rise in visa refusals was linked to an increase in applications rejected by the Home Office because of suspicions that some applicants were using the student visa route to seek asylum in the UK.

The development has heightened concerns among British universities about the possible consequences of the government’s tougher immigration policies for international student recruitment.

Data from Enroly, a firm that processes visa applications, showed that nearly half of UK universities had visa refusal rates exceeding the five per cent threshold that could expose them to a ban on recruiting international students.

The restrictions have also raised concerns about the financial and operational sustainability of institutions that depend on international student enrolment.

Speaking on the impact of the policy, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland, Sir David Bell, said, “This has involved pulling back from international markets where a tougher approach is being taken to visa applications”.

Similarly, Vanessa Wilson, chief executive of University Alliance, a group representing 20 professional and technical universities, warned that the consequences could extend beyond international admissions to affect jobs and academic programmes.

“This is going to result in restructures, which inevitably result in job losses, course closures, campus closures”.

The developments could further complicate the plans of Nigerian students seeking admission to British universities, as institutions become more cautious about applicants from countries experiencing higher visa refusal rates.

News Politics October 11, 2026 2027: INEC drops Pantami from final list of Gombe governorship candidates

The name of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, is absent from the final list of candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the February 6, 2027, governorship election in Gombe State.

INEC released the list containing 16 candidates, including Bala Bello Tinka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Other candidates on the list are Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), among others.

Pantami’s exclusion is notable because his name featured on INEC’s provisional list published on August 29.

The former minister had emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate after defecting from the APC on May 19.

However, his initial emergence as the party’s candidate was challenged in court, with a Federal High Court nullifying the primary election and ordering a fresh exercise.

Pantami subsequently won the court-ordered rerun primary conducted on September 29, polling 2,054 votes to defeat Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry.

Earlier, a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe had, on September 24, nullified his initial emergence from the May 26 primary election.

His candidacy also faced uncertainty following the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment restoring Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The provisions became central to questions surrounding the eligibility of political parties and their candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Supreme Court had barred political parties from fielding candidates whose names were not included in the membership registers submitted to INEC within the stipulated period.

Pantami’s absence from the final list raises questions about the status of his governorship ambition following the legal disputes surrounding his emergence as the PDP candidate.

News Sports October 11, 2026 Portugal suspend Ronaldo after row with coach Jesus

Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) following disciplinary proceedings over his decision to leave the national team’s squad amid disagreements with coach Jorge Jesus over playing time.

The federation announced the development on Saturday, confirming that the case involving the 41-year-old forward had been classified as urgent while it considers the appropriate sanction.

“Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against Cristiano Ronaldo,” the FPF said in a statement, confirming that the player would remain suspended pending a final decision on the punishment.

Ronaldo had earlier apologised to supporters for his actions but criticised Jesus over the handling of his playing time during Portugal’s Nations League campaign. He also indicated that he was prepared to accept any punishment imposed by the federation.

The dispute reportedly began when Ronaldo was asked to warm up as a substitute during Portugal’s match against Norway on September 27 but was not introduced into the game.

His frustration deepened after he was informed that he would not be in the starting lineup for the encounter against Denmark on October 1, prompting his departure from the national team’s squad.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, who holds the records for the most appearances and goals in men’s international football, subsequently addressed the controversy publicly.

On Tuesday, Ronaldo accused Jesus of reneging on an understanding regarding his involvement in the Nations League matches. However, he maintained that he had no intention of retiring from international football.

“I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said, while accepting his actions must be “punished” by the federation.

According to Portuguese media reports, the federation’s regulations provide for suspensions ranging from one to six months for players who fail to attend training sessions, matches or other national team activities.

Ronaldo also alleged that Jesus failed to honour an agreement concerning his participation in the match against Norway.

He further claimed that the coach did not make certain points they had agreed upon during a private conversation before addressing the media ahead of the Denmark fixture.

Among the points reportedly agreed upon was Ronaldo’s view that the coach should not have asked a player of his standing to warm up without eventually introducing him into the match.

One of the pre-approved talking points was that Jesus had “made a mistake in asking someone of the stature of Pele or Maradona to warm up and then not sending him on in the match.”

Jesus declined to engage directly with Ronaldo’s accusations when questioned about the controversy.

“I read the statement, and now, like I do every day, I’m going to the federation headquarters to work, to think about the Portuguese national team,” said the 72-year-old coach.

The coach had earlier said he would consider selecting Ronaldo for international duty, provided the forward was playing for his club and remained interested in representing Portugal.

Despite the dispute, Portugal have enjoyed a strong Nations League campaign, winning all four of their matches and securing qualification for the quarter-finals with two games remaining.

The Portuguese side are scheduled to host Denmark on November 14 before travelling to face Wales on November 17 in their final two Group A4 fixtures.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo returned to club football on Friday, featuring for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in their 3-0 victory over Diriyah in a Saudi Pro League match.

The forward scored in the encounter, taking his career tally to 980 goals.