The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has set a target of nearly three million votes for President Bola Tinubu and the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, vowing that it would not allow a repeat of its defeat in the state during the 2023 presidential election.

The Director-General of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, disclosed this on Sunday at a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos, where he also announced plans for the unveiling of Hamzat’s governorship manifesto ahead of the 2027 election.

According to Obanikoro, the party had learnt important lessons from the 2023 election, when the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, defeated Tinubu in Lagos, securing 582,454 votes against the APC candidate’s 572,606 votes.

Describing the outcome as a wake-up call, the former Minister said the APC had since taken steps to strengthen its membership base and improve its mobilisation ahead of the next general election.

“That time (2023), I want to tell you, was a wake-up call for us, and we have woken up,” Obanikoro said.

“You know what it means to wake up a hungry tiger? It’s bad news. That’s exactly what the opposition has done. They have woken up a hungry tiger, and it is going to roar.”

He said the APC had registered about one million members in Lagos, adding that the party expected a substantial proportion of them to turn out and vote during the election.

“For the first time in the history of our party, we registered about one million. Already, we have provided a solution by beefing up our membership,” he said.

Explaining how the party arrived at its projected votes, Obanikoro said: “So, in a worst-case scenario, let’s say 70 or 80 per cent of our members come out, which they will do. That is already 800,000 votes.

“Let’s assume they will bring a minimum of one voter. That is 1.6 million votes. No matter how much some of these opposition members hate us, there are APC lovers in this state of ours who, come rain or shine, will come out and vote for us. Modestly, we are looking at almost three million votes.”

Obanikoro said the campaign council would intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state to achieve the target.

“We will go throughout the length and breadth of Lagos State, all the nooks and crannies of Lagos. We will go there and canvass for votes,” he said.

“We are going to win and record an unprecedented number of votes for both Asiwaju and Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.”

Meanwhile,the campaign council has also announced that the APC would unveil Hamzat’s manifesto on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre, in Iganmu, Lagos.

He said the manifesto would outline the governorship candidate’s vision, priorities and plans for the continued development of Lagos State.

The Ogun State Police Command has arraigned seven men before the Ilaro Magistrate Court over alleged unlawful possession of firearms, abduction of Amotekun operatives and stealing of a locally made single barrel gun valued at N150,000.

The defendants are Dosunmu Amos, 34, Abisekun Seun, 22, Ojo Olanrewaju, 32, Joseph Aremu, 33, Alao Ileyemi, 30, Akeem Ege, 45, and Elijah Eriwole, 32.

They were arraigned before Chief Magistrate I, Ilaro, presided over by Mrs F.A. Ojelade on Friday, on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms, abduction, stealing and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

According to the charge sheet with No M/27/2026 signed by ASP Adeboye Olayiwola, the defendants and others still at large, between October 14 and 15, 2026, at Alagbon area, Owode-Afon, in the Ilaro Magisterial District, allegedly conspired to commit felony to wit: unlawful possession of firearms.

Count two stated that on October 14, at about 4 pm, they unlawfully had in their possession one locally made single barrel gun without licence, contrary to the Firearms Act.

Counts three and four, respectively, border on conspiracy and abduction at the Ogun State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, Owode-Afon Outpost, on October 15, at about 5:30 pm.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendants abducted two Amotekun operatives, AMT Salami Yakubu, 31, and AMT Abelewa Soliudeen, 37, and prevented any person entitled to have access to them from discovering where they were imprisoned.

Count five alleged that they stole one locally made single barrel gun valued at one hundred and fifty thousand naira, property of the Amotekun Corps.

Count six stated that they conducted themselves in an unruly manner by invading the Amotekun outpost and shooting sporadically into the air, causing fear in the neighbourhood.

Prosecution counsel, ASP A.S. Abiodun moved a motion pursuant to Section 306 of ACJ Law of Ogun State 2017, praying the court to remand the defendants.

In her ruling, Ojelade held that even though offences in counts 1, 2, 5 and 6 are within its jurisdiction, it is not seized of the power to try offences in counts 3 and 4, and in the interest of justice, ordered that the defendants be remanded for a period of 60 days in the first instance.

The case was adjourned till January 15, 2027.

One person has been killed, and three others injured after gunmen allegedly attacked the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Assembly candidate for Ezza South Constituency, Ebonyi State.

The police spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, said the incident occurred at Amaezekwe community, Ezza South Local Government Area.

Ukandu said the command received a distress call reporting a disturbance in the community and immediately deployed operatives to the scene.

“Upon arrival, the operatives found four individuals with gunshot wounds and a burnt vehicle,” he said on Friday. “One of the victims was confirmed dead at the hospital, while the three others are receiving medical treatment.”

Meanwhile, the NDC candidate, Rollins Ovu-Unata Offia-Nwali, said suspected political thugs attacked his motorcade and set his Toyota Hilux vehicle ablaze.

In a statement, Offia-Nwali said he and members of his entourage escaped unhurt.

He expressed sympathy with those affected by the attack and urged youths across the state not to allow politicians to use them to pursue personal ambitions.

“No political ambition is worth the life of any young person,” he said.