The Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has threatened to take legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the exclusion of its governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from the list of candidates for the 2027 election.

The party’s state chairman, Husseini Mairiga, said the NDC would approach the court if the electoral commission failed to address its complaint concerning Gwarzo’s omission from the final list.

Speaking in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP, Mairiga disclosed that the party had yet to receive an official response from INEC following the expiration of the October 24 deadline for submitting complaints over excluded candidates.

He said he had contacted party leaders at the national level but had received no update on the matter. Mairiga added that he planned to visit Abuja on Monday to seek clarification from the commission and determine the next course of action.

The chairman maintained that the party would not abandon its efforts to secure Gwarzo’s inclusion on the list.

“If INEC does not give us any update, we are going to court. We cannot just leave it like that,” he said.

The NDC had earlier submitted a complaint through its national leadership after INEC directed political parties affected by the omission of their candidates to report their grievances before the October 24 deadline.

Mairiga insisted that Gwarzo was a duly registered member of the party and maintained that a review of the relevant membership records would establish his eligibility to contest the governorship election.

The dispute follows INEC’s publication of its final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship elections, which also excluded some candidates from other political parties.

Among those affected are the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates in Gombe and Ogun states, Isa Ali Pantami and Oladipupo Adebutu, respectively. The omissions have prompted complaints from the affected parties and threats of legal action.

INEC has previously cited compliance with statutory requirements governing political party membership registers and candidate nominations as a factor in the exclusion of some candidates. The commission’s position is central to the dispute, as affected parties seek clarification on the reasons their candidates were left off the list.

The NDC’s planned legal action will depend on the outcome of its engagement with INEC and the available legal procedures for challenging the exclusion.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over reports that security personnel have been deployed to protect his campaign billboards in Kaduna State, urging the Federal Government to prioritise the safety of citizens amid persistent insecurity.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks on Friday in a social media post reacting to reports that security operatives were guarding Tinubu’s campaign posters and billboards ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off scheduled for Saturday, October 24, in Kaduna.

The former vice-president questioned why campaign materials required security protection while communities across the country continued to face threats from bandits, terrorists and kidnappers.

“Bola, you claim Nigerians love you, yet your billboards in Kaduna require security guards,” Atiku wrote, arguing that the protection given to the posters contrasted with the insecurity experienced by many Nigerians.

He added that the situation reflected what he described as misplaced priorities in the Tinubu administration, calling on the President to demonstrate the same urgency in protecting citizens as was being applied to safeguarding his campaign materials.

Reports indicated that personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA), alongside other security operatives, were assigned to protect the billboards at strategic locations in Kaduna metropolis.

A security operative was quoted as saying that the assignment was intended to prevent vandalism, particularly at night, before the planned campaign rally.

The development comes ahead of the APC’s campaign launch in Kaduna, where Tinubu is expected to join party leaders and supporters as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku’s comments have brought renewed attention to the issue of public security and the deployment of security personnel during political activities. The Presidency’s response to his latest criticism was not included in the reports reviewed.

The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to organise the Nigeria Marine and Blue Economy Expo (NIMBEX), an initiative aimed at attracting investment, creating jobs and unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the inauguration, describing the expo as a platform to position Nigeria as a major destination for maritime investment, innovation and trade in Africa.

Oyetola, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Fatima Mahmood, said the event would bring together policymakers, international investors, industry leaders and technology innovators to explore opportunities in the country’s marine and blue economy.

According to the minister, NIMBEX is expected to help convert Nigeria’s maritime resources into investment opportunities, promote economic diversification and generate employment through partnerships and the mobilisation of capital and expertise.

Nigeria has an estimated 853-kilometre coastline and more than 10,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways across 28 states. These resources offer opportunities to expand domestic and international maritime trade, improve logistics and support economic growth.

The organising committee is chaired by Husseini Shettima, Director of Marine Conservation, Innovation and Technology in the ministry. Kalthum Ibrahim, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, and Professor Busayo Fakinlede, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Marine and Blue Economy, will serve as co-chairpersons.

The minister’s Special Adviser, Bolaji Akinola, is also a member of the committee and will serve as the expo’s Chief Operating Officer.

Other members include representatives of key maritime institutions and agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, National Inland Waterways Authority and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria.

Representatives of maritime training and research institutions, coastal states, terminal operators, shipowners, freight forwarders, barge operators and other industry stakeholders are also part of the committee.

The expo will showcase investment opportunities across several areas, including port development, shipping, inland waterways, logistics, offshore energy, maritime finance, fisheries, marine biotechnology, deep-sea mining, maritime security and environmental sustainability.

Emerging areas such as marine renewable energy, green shipbuilding, artificial intelligence-driven logistics, subsea robotics and coastal tourism are also expected to feature.

The Federal Government hopes the initiative will strengthen cooperation between public institutions, private businesses, financial organisations and technology providers while encouraging sustainable development of Nigeria’s marine resources.