Zamfara state in northwestern Nigeria ordered five media outlets to close on Sunday after they covered a political rally for the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), which took place in violation of a state ban on political activities. The order to close came after Governor Bello Metawalle, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, banned political activities, including meetings at individuals' homes, on October 13 due to the security situation in the state. The ban includes campaigning for February 2023 presidential elections, which began nationwide last month. Zamfara state, along with much of northwestern Nigeria, is battling armed groups…

An interview with an outsider who says he will actually do something about corruption “This is a case of Goliath and David,” says Peter Obi, a long-shot candidate who has unexpectedly taken the lead in the race to become president of Africa’s most populous country. “The big people are there, but allow this small person to do it. And I know I can do it.” As public campaigning was about to begin in late September, Nigeria was rocked by the release of three polls showing Obi well ahead of the two candidates for the main parties that have misruled Nigeria…

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, says northerners need a president who hails from the north. Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke on Saturday at the interactive session of the Arewa townhall policy dialogue in Kaduna. Abubakar, who hails from Adamawa in the northeast, told his audience which included a significant percentage of persons of Hausa and Fulani extraction, that they don’t need an Igbo or Yoruba as president but “someone from the north”. The former vice-president said he had criss-crossed Nigeria’s 36 states and understands their peculiarities and diversities. Atiku said northerners should trust…

China's 20th Communist Party Congress kicked off on Sunday, with Xi Jinpingpoised to clinch his third five-year stint in charge - a mandate that would secure his stature as the country's most powerful ruler since founding leader Mao Zedong. * Xi began a speech opening the week-long session touting the ruling party's safeguarding of national security, maintaining social stability, protecting people's lives and taking control of the situation in Hong Kong, which was rocked by anti-government protests in 2019. * China will unwaveringly support the private economy and let the market play decisive role in resource allocation, Xi said. *…