The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has promised to restore petroleum subsidy if elected, saying his administration would first tackle corruption in the country.

Obi made the statement on Monday at a town hall meeting held in Sokoto for the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He identified corruption as one of Nigeria’s major problems and promised to fight it across all sectors if elected.

“People are talking about subsidy but what is all about it is corruption. By removing the corruption, I assure you that we will bring back subsidy.

“The problem of Nigeria is corruption, as such, if elected, we will stop all forms of corruption in every sector of the country,” he said.

Obi called on Nigerians to support NDC candidates in the 2027 elections, describing the task of addressing the country’s problems as a collective responsibility.

He said the party was committed to what he called a “politics of care and service to Nigerians.”

The former Anambra State governor also expressed concern over the economic difficulties facing Nigerians. He promised to use the country’s resources to improve security, education and other key sectors.

“Education is our number one priority after unity and security,” Obi said.

He also promised to link all state capitals by rail to promote economic activities and development.

Speaking at the event, NDC vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso said the purpose of their visit was to meet Sokoto residents and seek their support ahead of the 2027 elections.

Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, said they had earlier visited the Sultan of Sokoto, who prayed for the success of the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket and conveyed his goodwill.

He said several parts of Nigeria were facing security challenges, but noted that banditry and kidnapping had become particularly serious in the North-West.

“We are, therefore, committed to mitigating all these challenges and make Nigeria better,” he said.

The NDC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Dr Shamsudeen Haido, also promised to provide good governance if elected in 2027.

The party’s state chairman, Alhaji Bello Yabo, said the town hall meeting gave residents an opportunity to hear directly from Obi and Kwankwaso about their plans and vision for Nigeria.

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By Jos Events

TikTok users in parts of Northern Nigeria are reporting persistent difficulties accessing the popular social media platform, with many turning to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in an attempt to restore access.

The disruption has been reported particularly in Kaduna, Kano and Sokoto, where users say the TikTok application has become difficult or impossible to use through regular internet connections. Reports indicate that the problem began around September 11–14, 2026, although the exact timing appears to vary from one location to another. 

Affected users have described several problems, including videos failing to load, feeds freezing while scrolling, difficulty refreshing content and uploads repeatedly stalling. Some users have also reported difficulties accessing TikTok through mobile browsers.

In several cases, users said the platform became accessible after activating a VPN, which changes the route through which their internet traffic reaches TikTok. However, the fact that TikTok works through a VPN does not by itself prove that the platform has been deliberately blocked by the government or telecommunications companies. 

No Official Suspension Confirmed

Despite growing reports from users, there has been no official public confirmation from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), telecommunications operators, the Federal Government, TikTok, or the governments of the affected states that TikTok has been officially banned or suspended.

The cause of the disruption therefore remains unclear.

Possible explanations mentioned in reports include a technical problem, network-routing issue, traffic-management measure or deliberate network-level restriction. None of these explanations has been officially established. 

What About Plateau State?

For users in Plateau State, including Jos, reports currently available do not provide sufficient evidence to confirm that the same disruption is affecting the entire state.

However, as TikTok remains an important platform for entertainment, news, content creation, advertising and business promotion in Jos and across Plateau State, any prolonged access problem could affect creators, event promoters, businesses and other users who depend on the platform to reach their audiences.

TikTok is particularly significant for small businesses and content creators who use short-form videos to promote products, services, events, music, tourism and other activities.

Users in Jos and other parts of Plateau State are therefore encouraged to share their experiences, including their network provider and whether TikTok works normally, intermittently or only when connected through a VPN.