Public Declaration: Ebiseni—who previously served as a Labour Party chieftain and the South-West Coordinator for Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign—announced his move during a meeting with Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Government House in Akure.

2027 Endorsement: He explicitly declared his backing for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid for the 2027 presidential election.

Justification for Support: Ebiseni stated that maintaining the presidency in southern Nigeria is crucial for the political stability of the federation.

Local Interests: Hailing from the Ilaje coastal area of Ondo State, he emphasized that supporting President Tinubu is essential to ensure the full implementation and proper coastal alignment of the landmark coastal road project for his people.

Warm Welcome: Governor Aiyedatiwa welcomed Ebiseni and his supporters, assuring them of complete integration into the APC campaign structure.

Valued Experience: The governor praised Ebiseni’s extensive political background—including his past service as a local government chairman, state commissioner, and Afenifere Secretary-General—noting that his wealth of experience will significantly boost the party’s upcoming election efforts.

Database Security: In a statement issued by Head of Corporate Communications Kayode Adegoke on X, NIMC firmly stated that the National Identity Database (NIDB) has never been breached or compromised.

Robust Infrastructure: The commission emphasized that the identity database is safeguarded by a multi-layered security architecture built to international standards to protect citizens’ data.

Public Warning: NIMC cautioned against the spread of unverified information designed to cause panic, advising citizens to rely solely on official channels for updates.

New Platform: NIMC highlighted its newly introduced NIN Authentication (NINAuth) platform, which features web, API, and mobile verification services.

User Consent: The system requires explicit user consent before any personal data is shared for Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.

Secure Transactions: NINAuth enables safe identity verification for services like SIM registration, passport processing, and financial transactions without unnecessarily exposing raw personal data.

Regulatory Compliance: This initiative aligns with the NIMC Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, reinforcing the commission’s commitment to lawful data handling in partnership with relevant security agencies.

Upcoming Fixtures: Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo before traveling to face Guinea-Bissau next Tuesday.

Injury and Absence: Aina returns after nearly a year out of international football due to an injury sustained during the September 2025 World Cup qualifiers. Although he recovered and made the 54-man provisional list, he missed out on the final 28-man squad for the AFCON tournament held between December 2025 and January 2026.

Player Motivation: Speaking to Football Temple, Aina shared his enthusiasm, stating, “It’s good to be back with the team and Nigeria. The motivation is to do well in the first qualifying game. We are looking to win and get all three points.”

International Experience: Since making his debut in October 2017, Aina has earned 48 caps, provided four assists, and was part of the squad that finished as runners-up at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.

Tactical Value: Capable of playing on both the right and left flanks, his versatility offers head coach Eric Chelle valuable depth in the full-back positions. He also heads into the international break having made four Premier League appearances for Nottingham Forest this season.