RismadarVoice Reporters
August 31, 2026
Big Brother Naija Season 11 housemates Aikou and Flora have been reinstated as full contestants and are now eligible to compete for the ₦160 million grand prize.
The duo had previously been designated as Gambits, a special status that guaranteed them places in the finale but prevented them from winning the season’s ultimate prize.
The organisers announced their reinstatement on Monday, following Sunday’s “Operation Release the Gambit” twist, which allowed viewers to determine whether one or both contestants should return to the main competition.
“Flora and Aikou are officially out of Gambit mode. Biggie has reinstated them as full BBNaija housemates, making them eligible to compete for the prize money,” the organisers announced.
They added that the two contestants would now be subject to the same eviction rules as the other housemates.
“If nominated, their fate now rests with the voting public,” the organisers said.
Aikou and Flora became the first Gambits of the season after viewers voted them into the special positions. Flora secured the female Gambit slot with 29.38 per cent of the votes, while Aikou emerged as the male Gambit with 9.10 per cent.
Under the original arrangement, their Gambit status guaranteed their presence in the house through to the finale but excluded them from the ₦160 million prize competition.
However, during Sunday’s live show, host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu introduced the “Operation Release the Gambit” twist, allowing viewers to decide whether the two contestants would be released from their special status.
Following the outcome of the poll, both housemates have now been restored to the main competition and will compete for the grand prize alongside the other contestants.
Their reinstatement also means that they can be nominated for eviction, with their survival in the competition ultimately determined by viewers’ votes.
